NextDecade Highlights Opportunities in $30 Billion Project

Andrea Figueroa-Benton discusses Rio Grande LNG’s investment, construction timeline, and the regional workforce supporting its development. 

Rio Grande LNG’s expansion is creating opportunities for South Texas businesses to connect with a major industrial project—and Andrea Figueroa-Benton, NextDecade’s Director of Community Relations, wants companies to understand how to participate.

Speaking with Pro Texas Industry during the CANACINTRA event, Figueroa-Bentonemphasized the importance of sharing project information with business leaders, potential suppliers, and the surrounding community.

“I think it’s important for the community and for this group of stakeholders to know what our project is all about,” Figueroa-Benton said.

That outreach also helps interested businesses understand the process for submitting their information to become a vendor, she explained.

Connecting Businesses with Industrial Opportunity

For Figueroa-Benton, gatherings such as CANACINTRA provide an opportunity to make a large industrial development more accessible to the business community.

Understanding the project and its vendor process is a practical starting point for companies interested in exploring potential work. Her comments highlighted the importance of connecting regional businesses with information as construction advances.

Located at the Port of Brownsville, Rio Grande LNG is a natural gas liquefaction and export facility being developed by NextDecade. The company identifies access to a skilled local workforce as one of the site’s advantages. 

More Than $30 Billion in Investment

Figueroa-Benton described the scale of the development and clarified that the investment associated with the first five liquefaction trains exceeds $30 billion.

“Our project, the current investment is over $30 billion,” she said.

The figure refers to the investment associated with those five trains, rather than additional potential expansion. LNG trains are processing units that cool natural gas into liquid form for shipment.

“We’ve been in construction since 2023, and we’re starting operations next year,” she said during the interview.

NextDecade’s subsequent October 29 business update specifies that first LNG production from Train 1 is expected in the second quarter of 2027. That milestone would begin production while construction continues on other portions of the facility. 

A Construction Program Extending into the Next Decade

Figueroa-Benton emphasized that the project’s construction timeline extends well beyond the start of initial operations.

“We’re currently building five LNG trains,” she said. “Train 5 is estimated to be completed in 2031.”

She also discussed the permitting process for Train 6 and plans to pursue permitting for Trains 7 and 8, noting that the site has space for as many as 10 trains.

These represent different stages of development. NextDecade confirms that the first five trains are under construction, while further expansion remains subject to approvals, commercial agreements, financing, and final investment decisions. 

South Texas Workers Supporting the Project

Asked about workforce challenges, Figueroa-Benton offered a positive assessment of the project’s experience recruiting in the region.

“We really have not had any trouble with workforce,” she said.

She credited Bechtel, the project’s engineering, procurement, and construction partner, with working alongside regional stakeholders and educational institutions to meet construction needs.

“They hire a large number of people every week,” she said. “So luckily they found the workforce that they need in the area.”

Her comments underscore the practical importance of South Texas’ workforce and educational partnerships in supporting large industrial developments. Connecting employers with trained workers helps turn investment into regional employment opportunities.

Building Relationships for Long-Term Growth

Reflecting on the CANACINTRA event, Figueroa-Benton welcomed the opportunity to engage directly with the business community.

“I’m so glad that we got together here, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to share information about our project,” she said.

For South Texas manufacturers, industrial service providers, and skilled workers, that exchange of information matters. As Rio Grande LNG advances, helping regional businesses understand potential supplier opportunities—and maintaining the workforce partnerships supporting construction—can help South Texas capture more of the economic activity generated by major industrial investment.