NextDecade says it is first U.S. LNG project to offer Brent-linked cargoes

SINGAPORE, March 7 (Reuters) - U.S. company NextDecade Corp is offering Brent-linked supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as one of several pricing options to potential buyers and is the first U.S.-based project to do so, a senior company official said on Thursday.

The Houston-based company is offering multiple LNG pricing options including Brent indexation from its Rio Grande LNG project with full destination flexibility, said Matthew Schatzman, president and chief executive officer of NextDecade.

"We also offer Henry Hub indexation and alternative U.S. index options ... We are also exploring TTF and JKM netback pricing of producers," he said at the LNGA 2019 conference held in Singapore.

Many LNG export projects are now vying for financing amid an already crowded market, and developers are competing to offer flexible pricing options to potential offtakers.

The Dutch Title Transfer Facility (TTF) is Europe's biggest natural gas trading hub and acts as a regional price benchmark.

The Japan Korea Marker (JKM), published by commodity pricing agency S&P Global Platts is Asia's main LNG price benchmark.

NextDecade expects a final investment decision on its Rio Grande LNG project in Brownsville, Texas, at the end of the third quarter of this year, and is planning to announce additional contracts by the end of this month, he said.

Rio Grande is a six-train facility to be sited at the Port of Brownsville, with a project cost estimated at $17.3 billion and planned final capacity of 27 million tonnes of LNG a year.

It will be supplied with natural gas from the Permian Basin, Eagle Ford Shale and other resources.

(Reporting by Jessica Jaganathan; Editing by Henning Gloystein and Tom Hogue)