Norton Rose Fulbright’s energy projects team represents debt providers for NextDecade LNG’s Rio Grande LNG Project

A cross-border team from Norton Rose Fulbright represented the debt providers to Houston-based energy company NextDecade Corporation's Rio Grande liquified natural gas (LNG) export terminal. With a total debt and equity financing value of US$18.4bn, the project financing is the largest single LNG project financing in the United States to date and, according to company and other sources, is also the largest greenfield energy project financing in US history.

Phase one of the Rio Grande LNG Project, located in Brownsville, Texas, includes the construction of the first three liquefaction trains at the company’s 27 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) LNG export facility. 

This landmark project financing emphasizes the significant role that natural gas will continue to play in the global energy transition. Industry experts expect a global deficit of LNG before 2030, which projects like these aim to prevent in order to avoid a prolonged reliance on other fuels like coal and oil.

Additional information about the project and the transaction may be found on the company’s website at www.next-decade.com

Norton Rose Fulbright’s core team for the transaction was led by partners Noam Ayali, Rebecca Abou-Chedid and Charles Hord with additional support from Paul Weber, and included associates Lindsey Swiger, Tobi Amoo, Grace Choi, Danielle Donofrio, John Ngunjiri, James Lacey, Siyi Zhu, Aneeta Iqbal and Francis McCabe.