TotalEnergies and partners approve Rio Grande Train 4 FID

TotalEnergies has announced a final investment decision (FID) to build Train 4 of the Rio Grande LNG (RGLNG) export project in Brownsville, Texas.

According to TotalEnergies, the project will add 5.4M tonnes per annum (mta) of liquefaction capacity to the facility, representing an investment of around US$6.1Bn. The French energy company holds a 16.7% interest in RGLNG.

TotalEnergies chairman and chief executive Patrick Pouyanné said the decision underlined the company’s role in growing US LNG export capacity.

He stated, “We are delighted to move forward with this new liquefaction train, together with our partners, and to contribute to strengthening the United States’ position as the world’s leading LNG exporter.”

The project developer NextDecade said Train 4 will be financed through a combination of equity and debt. The company confirmed TotalEnergies and other partners have committed to the equity contribution.

The planned new liquefaction unit will be added to the three existing trains currently under construction.

NextDecade reported construction progress on Trains 1 to 3 stands at 70% as of September 2025, with Train 1 expected to begin operations in 2027.

NextDecade chair and chief executive Matt Schatzman said the FID on Train 4 “marks another major step forward in the build-out of the Rio Grande LNG facility.” He added that the company is focused on ensuring “safe and timely execution” across all phases of the project.

In its latest investor presentation, NextDecade confirmed each train is designed with a liquefaction capacity of 5.4 mta. When complete, the facility will have an overall capacity of 21.6 mta. The company added it holds sufficient land and permits for the construction of up to five trains.

Bechtel is responsible for engineering, procurement and construction of the facility.

NextDecade also reiterated its plans to deploy carbon capture and storage technology to reduce the carbon intensity of the LNG produced.