NextDecade Corp. and Enbridge Inc. on Wednesday announced a memorandum of understanding to pursue the Rio Bravo Pipeline, as well as other natural gas pipelines, to transport supply to NextDecade’s proposed gas export project near the South Texas border in Brownsville.

NextDecade, headquartered north of Houston in The Woodlands, is developing the 27 million metric ton/year Rio Grande liquefied natural gas (LNG) export project and the associated 4.5 Bcf/d Rio Bravo Pipeline to transport gas from the Agua Dulce area near Corpus Christi to the export facility.

The companies expect to finalize the terms of the agreement by the end of the year.

“Enbridge is one of North America’s leading energy infrastructure companies and we look forward to exploring a strong partnership in South Texas,” NextDecade CEO Matt Schatzman said. “With its Texas Eastern Pipeline and recently completed Valley Crossing Pipeline, Enbridge has extensive permitting, construction and operating experience in the State of Texas, especially in South Texas.”

Enbridge’s Bill Yardley, president of gas transmission and midstream, said the company’s existing infrastructure “fits very well with the Brownsville location. This is a continuation of our strategy to bring our major projects execution and permitting capability to the expanding LNG export efforts in North America.”