Rio Grande LNG to use Baker Hughes compression

NextDecade LNG LLC contractor Bechtel Energy Inc. has awarded Baker Hughes Co. an order to supply three main refrigerant compressors for NextDecade’s planned 27-million tonne/year (tpy) Rio Grande LNG project in the Port of Brownsville, Tex. Baker Hughes will supply six 91-Mw (122,000-hp) Frame 7 natural gas turbines paired with 18 centrifugal compressors across Rio Grande’s first three LNG trains in a parallel configuration arrangement, providing Phase 1 nameplate capacity of 17.61 million tpy.

NextDecade last week received binding commitments from a syndicate of lenders in an amount sufficient, together with expected project equity funding, to support a positive Phase 1 final investment decision (FID). The company is now targeting FID on Phase 1 in early July 2023 (OGJ Online, June 30, 2023).

TotalEnergies SE last month signed an agreement to hold a 16.7% stake in the project. NextDecade has sold 16.2 million tpy of Phase 1 production under long-term commitments, 92% of nameplate capacity.