European Chemical Industry News & Insights

TotalEnergies Finalizes Investment in Rio Grande LNG Train 4 with 10% Stake

Key highlights
  • TotalEnergies takes a 10% stake in Rio Grande LNG Train 4, with an additional indirect 7% through NextDecade.
  • Train 4 will add 6 Mtpa capacity, bringing the plant's total to 24 Mtpa by 2030.
  • The project is financed with 40% equity and 60% debt.
  • TotalEnergies will offtake 1.5 Mtpa, increasing its U.S. LNG export capacity to over 16 Mtpa by 2030.

Investment and Stake

TotalEnergies has signed agreements with NextDecade to acquire a 10% stake in the joint venture developing Train 4 of the Rio Grande LNG project in South Texas. Additionally, TotalEnergies holds an indirect stake of nearly 7% in Train 4 through its 17.1% shareholding in NextDecade.

Project Capacity and Timeline

Train 4 will add approximately 6 million tons per annum (Mtpa) to the plant's capacity, bringing the total to around 24 Mtpa when it becomes operational in 2030. The project is set to be financed with 40% equity and 60% debt.

Offtake Agreement

TotalEnergies has a Sales and Purchase Agreement with NextDecade to offtake 1.5 Mtpa of LNG from Train 4 for 20 years. This will increase TotalEnergies' U.S. LNG export capacity to over 16 Mtpa by 2030.

Partnership and Development

The Final Investment Decision for Train 4 was made by TotalEnergies, NextDecade, and partners Global Infrastructure Partners, GIC, and Mubadala. TotalEnergies currently holds a 16.7% interest in Phase 1 of Rio Grande LNG, which includes three liquefaction trains under construction and expected to start operations in 2027.