Honeywell announced on April 13 that its liquefaction process technology and equipment will be used in NextDecade’s Rio Grande LNG Train 4 and Train 5 projects in Brownsville, Texas. The agreement is with Bechtel Energy, Inc., the engineering, procurement, and construction contractor for the project.
The expansion aims to increase liquefied natural gas (LNG) production capacity at the facility by more than 66 percent, from 18 million tonnes per annum to 30 million tonnes per annum. All five trains at the site are expected to become operational by mid-2031.
NextDecade will use Honeywell’s high efficiency coil wound heat exchanger equipment and C3MR process technology for these new trains. These technologies are intended to optimize production, improve reliability, and lower operating expenses. Honeywell’s solutions have already been selected for the first three liquefaction trains at this facility.
“As the demand for energy increases, LNG will continue to play a significant role in meeting this demand and supporting global energy security,” said Christina Andersen, President of Gas & LNG at Honeywell. “Honeywell’s scalable and customizable technology helps producers optimize facility performance and efficiency, and we work closely with our customers to provide solutions that meet their individual goals.”
Honeywell’s offerings include pretreatment and liquefaction technologies as well as automation software designed to optimize overall operations. The company also provides modular LNG technology that can be constructed off-site before being shipped for installation—a method aimed at reducing risk and expediting timelines compared with traditional construction approaches.
According to Honeywell, its coil wound heat exchanger equipment is designed for safe operation while maximizing available space and throughput. The company also notes that its C3MR process is currently the most widely used liquefaction process globally.
Industry observers may look toward mid-2031 when all five trains are scheduled to become operational as a key milestone in expanding U.S.-based LNG export capacity.
