McDermott International, Inc. announced that it plans to partner with the Italian oil and gas industry contractor Saipem S.p.A. to bid for NextDecade's planned Rio Grande LNG project in Brownsville, Texas.

"Our joint bid with Saipem will feature optimized execution strategies that result in increased certainty on schedule and cost as compared to other LNG projects on the U.S. Gulf Coast," said David Dickson, President and Chief Executive Officer of McDermott. "Pursuant to NextDecade's competitive process, we plan to submit our joint EPC proposal in the second quarter of 2019."

NextDecade has previously disclosed it expects to achieve a final investment decision on the project in the third quarter of 2019.

About McDermott

McDermott (NYSE: MDR) is a premier, fully integrated provider of technology, engineering and construction solutions to the energy industry. For more than a century, customers have trusted McDermott to design and build end-to-end infrastructure and technology solutions—from the wellhead to the storage tank—to transport and transform oil and gas into the products the world needs today. Our proprietary technologies, integrated expertise and comprehensive solutions deliver certainty, innovation and added value to energy projects around the world. Customers rely on McDermott to deliver certainty to the most complex projects, from concept to commissioning. It is called the "One McDermott Way." Operating in over 54 countries, McDermott's locally focused and globally-integrated resources include approximately 40,000 employees and engineers, a diversified fleet of specialty marine construction vessels and fabrication facilities around the world.

About Saipem

Saipem is one of the world leaders in drilling services, as well as in the engineering, procurement, construction and installation of pipelines and complex projects, onshore and offshore, in the oil & gas market. The company has distinctive competences in operations in harsh environments, remote areas and deepwater. Saipem provides a full range of services with “EPC” and “EPCI” contracts (on a “turn-key” basis) and has distinctive capabilities and unique assets with a high technological content.

About NextDecade, LLC

NextDecade, based in The Woodlands, Texas, is a developer of LNG projects providing customers access to the full LNG value chain. Founded in 2010, NextDecade has a team of industry leaders with extensive experience in signing major LNG off-take deals, and developing and managing LNG, FLNG, and FSRU projects, as well as associated natural gas and electricity infrastructure around the world.