NextDecade Launches NEXT Carbon Solutions

NextDecade Corp. revealed the formation of NEXT Carbon Solutions LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of NextDecade, on March 18.

The new company is expected to develop one of the largest carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects in North America at NextDecade’s Rio Grande LNG project; advance proprietary processes to lower the cost of utilizing CCS technology; help other energy companies to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the production, transportation, and use of natural gas; and generate high-quality, verifiable carbon offsets to support companies in their efforts to achieve net-zero emissions.

NEXT Carbon Solutions’ CCS project is expected to reduce permitted CO₂ emissions at Rio Grande LNG by more than 90% without major design changes to the Rio Grande LNG project. As a result, Rio Grande LNG is expected to be the greenest LNG project in the world.

“Efforts to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions are at the very foundation of our company,” said Matt Schatzman, NextDecade’s chairman and CEO, said. “The launch of NEXT Carbon Solutions comes at a pivotal time for our nation and the world, and we are eager to demonstrate the transformative and impactful contributions this business will make to the global energy industry and the quest toward a net-zero future.”

CCS Project

NEXT Carbon Solutions’ CCS project at Rio Grande LNG is expected to enable the capture and permanent geologic storage of more than five million tonnes of CO₂ per year. NEXT Carbon Solutions believes that developing the CCS project at the same time as the Rio Grande LNG project will result in 60-80% less capital costs than retrofitting an operating LNG facility.

All-in costs of the CCS project, including capital and operating expenses, interest, transportation, and permanent storage, are expected to be $63 to $74 per metric tonne of CO₂ before any benefit from Section 45Q tax credits. Including the full benefit of Section 45Q tax credits, the breakeven cost of adding CCS to Rio Grande LNG is expected to be $13 to $24 per metric tonne of CO₂ or $0.05 to $0.09 per MMBtu on an LNG basis. Coupled with its low costs, NextDecade believes that LNG from Rio Grande LNG will be among the greenest and most attractively priced in the world.

Greenest LNG Project in the World

NextDecade is working with sustainable Permian and Eagle Ford producers seeking to supply responsibly sourced natural gas (RSG) to Rio Grande LNG. Combining RSG with the anticipated CO₂ emissions reduction associated with our CCS project is expected to enable Rio Grande LNG to produce the lowest lifecycle GHG LNG on an FOB basis and to be the greenest LNG project in the world.

To realize the significant benefits associated with co-development of Rio Grande LNG and the CCS project, NextDecade anticipates achieving FID on a minimum of two trains at Rio Grande LNG in 2021 and FID on the CCS project soon after FID at Rio Grande LNG.