By Colin A. Scholes
A shortage of helium will be faced in the near future as the nearly completed sell-off of the US strategic reserves suppresses the world’s ability to extract helium from natural gas reservoirs.
Outside of Dexter, Missouri, USA, in 1905 a drilling company struck a gas geyser. To celebrate the company’s good fortunes, it was decided to ignite a side stream of the gas. Taking a burning bale of hay to the escaping gas, the assembled crowd was shocked as time after time the escaping gas extinguished the burning bale.
Amazingly, the drilling company had found not a reservoir of methane but a reservoir of gas made up of 12% helium. This was a major discovery as helium had only been isolated in the laboratory eight years previously, and was thought to be extremely rare. Far from being rare, it was soon discovered to exist in vast quantities in the gas fields beneath the Great Plains of the USA and, incredibly, to this day those gas fields remain the world’s largest and most pure source of helium.
Helium is most readily identified with party balloons and the high-pitched voice it produces upon inhaling. This lighter-than-air property makes it vital for weather balloons and airships or blimps. Its chemical inertness lends the gas to many applications, such as electronic, microchip, LCDs and fibre optic production, where it ensures a clean, non-reactive environment. On a larger scale, helium is used in welding and to replace oxygen in the packaging of some foods. It is also used as a heat transfer agent, for pressurising and purging vessels and tanks, for example in rocket technology, and in scuba equipment, where it is a major component of hydreliox.
The most important application for helium is in cryogenics, since no other substance is able to cool to temperatures as low as –269°C. This is vital for medical MRI scanners, which require supercooled magnets, as well as for scientific instruments, such as NMR spectrometers and infrared scanners.
In 2007, 28% of helium produced was used for cryogenic purposes, mostly for medical MRIs, with only 3% used for scientific purposes. Another 27% was used for pressurising and purging vessels, such as rockets and tanks, with a further 20% used in welding (United States Geological Survey, 2009 Minerals Yearbook). The biggest consumer of helium is NASA, using annually almost 75 million cubic feet, followed by the USA Department of Defense, which uses a significant quantity to cool liquid hydrogen and oxygen for rocket fuel. All of this helium is eventually released into the atmosphere, where, being so light, it escapes and enters space.
The importance of helium led the US government to set up the National Helium Reserve outside Armarillo, Texas, in 1925 to protect the vast resources in the Great Plains, based around the Cliffside Fields gas field, for the purpose of military blimps and commercial airships, of vital interest at the time. With the start of the space race in the 1950s, the National Helium Reserve was expanded because of its critical role in rocket technology.
Fifty years later, with the Cold War over and almost a billion cubic feet of helium stored, the US government began to sell off its helium reserves and leave the market to private enterprise, with the plan to empty the reserve by 2015. This has led to concern that the world is running out of helium, and that we are squandering a valuable resource on party balloons.
However, significant helium reserves remain in the ground. The US Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2003 reports that the USA alone has 25% of the world’s known helium reserves (8900 billion cubic feet) and produces about 77% of the world’s needs as well as being its single largest consumer. Helium is also recovered in significant quantities elsewhere – Algeria (3000 billion cubic feet in reserves), Russia (6700 billion cubic feet in reserves) and Poland (280 billion cubic feet in reserves) producing helium mainly for the European market and Qatar producing for the Asian market. Australia produces around 150 million standard cubic feet (mmscf)/year. Its facility in Darwin, which opened in 2009, supplies the domestic and Asian market, and with Australia’s large natural gas reserves it is estimated that another 150 mmscf/year can be produced in the near future.
The problem is that the US government’s decision to sell off its helium reserves has meant that global production is not keeping pace with global demand, as this is currently met by tapping the accumulated helium recovered and stored over the past five decades. This has kept the price of helium artificially low, evident by the average increase in price from the National Helium Reserve of 3.8% per annum, with the price in 2011 of around US$75/Mcf, while the other major helium producers, such as BOC Gases, Air Products and Praxair, have average increases of 10–12% per annum to offset increases in production and distribution costs, with the world’s helium market growing at around 5% per year.
In 2015, when the US strategy reserves are completely sold, there is expected to be a dramatic loss of short-term supply, as those plants currently in operation will be unable to meet demand, and the current low price is hampering the building of new production plants. However, the looming shortfall is being noticed, with investments being made to build eight new helium plants globally, projected to start up between 2011 and 2015. These plants are in the US, Algeria (providing an additional 550 mmscf/year), China, India, Indonesia, Qatar (providing an additional 550 mmscf/year) and Russia (providing an additional 200 mmscf/year) (‘The Helium Market’, CryoGas International, October 2006).
However, these plants will take a number of years to provide the quantity of helium currently been drawn from the strategic reserve and there is doubt whether their size can meet expected increase in demand over the coming decade. Therefore, considerable supply shortages are expected for a number of years while additional helium production plants are constructed. This will affect the operating costs of MRIs and other vital equipment. It is expected that significant advancements in recycling will arise from the helium price increase, such as closed loops on cooling circuits of MRIs.
While the world is not about to run out of everyday helium, the focus should be on helium-3, which is an isotope of helium containing only one neutron compared to the two neutrons of helium-4 recovered from natural gas reservoirs. It is mainly produced as a result of radioactive decay of tritium, a side product of nuclear weapons production. Since the end of the Cold War, helium-3 production has all but ceased. Although helium-3 and -4 are interchangeable in almost every application, only helium-3 is used in radiation monitors and nuclear fusion research. Helium-3 is a vital component of neutron detectors, demand for which has increased markedly with heightened concern about terrorism and national security.
The lack of helium-3 is also a significant limitation to research on nuclear fusion, which holds the promise of a clean energy source of the future. Some futurists have suggested that a lack of helium-3 will drive humanity to the stars once we have mined the closest major reservoirs on the Moon’s surface and the skies of the gas giants Uranus and Neptune for our energy needs. Until then, we will have to look forward to expensive party balloons.
FAQs
Yes, the Earth is running out of helium because it is a nonrenewable resource. This is how Total Helium brings value to its investors and other stakeholders, by performing the important work of helium exploration and storage. Helium is the second most abundant element in the universe, with hydrogen being the first.
How much helium do we have left? ›
The remaining conservation helium is about 85.7 million cubic meters (3.09 billion cubic feet).
Which statement about helium is correct? ›
Helium is a light gas, lighter in comparison to air which is mostly nitrogen and oxygen and it is non-inflammable in nature, and hence it is used to fill air-balloons. But helium is not lighter than hydrogen gas as its atomic weight is 4 while the molecular weight of hydrogen is 2.
Will helium be gone in 15 to 20 years? ›
Once the gas leaks into the atmosphere, it is light enough to escape the Earth's gravitational field so it bleeds off into space, never to return. We may run out of helium within 25–30 years because it's being consumed so freely.
Why can't we make more helium? ›
We can't make any more.” Helium is the second-most-abundant element in the universe, but on Earth it's relatively rare. It results from the decay of uranium, can't be artificially created, and is produced as a byproduct of natural gas refinement.
Why is the United States running out of helium? ›
Besides being difficult to mine, the current helium shortage stems from the limited supply and rising demand across the world. Very few countries produce this rare element, so even a minor change in the production levels in these countries can significantly impact the global helium supply.
Do we need helium for anything? ›
Perhaps the most familiar use of helium is as a safe, non-flammable gas to fill party and parade balloons. However, helium is a critical component in many fields, including scientific research, medical technology, high-tech manufacturing, space exploration, and national defense.
Who consumes the most helium? ›
The medical industry is the largest consumer and mainly uses helium to maintain the superconducting properties of magnets in applications such as magnetic resonance imagery (MRI) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry (NMR) equipment. The demand for MRI scanners is increasing, especially in the developing world.
What can I use instead of helium for balloons? ›
Take a big bottle and fill it with the mixture of Sodium hydroxide and pieces of aluminum foil. Add water inside the bottle. Next step is to attach a balloon to the mouth of the bottle containing the mixture. The mixture inside the container will automatically generate hydrogen gas that will rise and fill the balloons.
Which of the following is not true about helium? ›
Helium does not form clathrate compounds due to its small size and they slip out of cavities formed by beta quinol molecules. Therefore helium doesn't form clathrate compounds.
Helium is still happy because its outermost shell is completely full making it extremely stable. The noble gases are happy with their completely filled valence shells.
What rule does helium follow? ›
The octet rule states that atoms tend to form compounds in ways that give them eight valence electrons, and thus the electron configuration of a noble gas. An exception to an octet of electrons is in the case of the first noble gas, helium, which only has two valence electrons.
What will HNT price be in 2040? ›
Helium (HNT) Price Prediction 2040
In 2040, we may expect an average price of $237.12 depending upon the market trend. Our maximum price prediction for Helium is $251.64 in 2040.
Can you return helium tanks to target? ›
Return details
This item must be returned to any Target store. This item must be returned within 90 days of the date it was purchased in store, shipped, delivered by a Shipt shopper, or made ready for pickup. See the return policy for complete information.
How high can helium crypto go? ›
There is a slight bearish sentiment in the crypto market. The long term sentiment, however, remains bullish and HNT could hit $40.12 in 2024. The total circulating supply of Helium as of writing this article was $138478041.01 and the marketcap of HNT remains at $336,727,852.
How long will the helium shortage last? ›
Helium prices have nearly doubled since 2021, he said. Kornbluth expects the shortage to ease — but not until 2024.
How do we replenish helium? ›
Everyone uses products of the many industries that require helium, and there is no way to cheaply make more. Many people do not realize that helium is a non-renewable resource. It is made on earth via nuclear decay of uranium, and it is recovered from mines.
Which country has the most helium? ›
Apart from being the world's main producer and one of the largest helium consumers, the U.S holds the most extensive helium reserves worldwide. As of 2021, the country's helium reserves stood at 8.5 billion cubic meters, surpassing the reserves of runners-up Algeria and Russia combined.
Can we harvest helium from space? ›
It's simply not feasible. However, mining other resources in space, such as asteroids, Luna, or the inner planets, is within the reach of feasibility studies, although NASA does not have concrete plans at this point.
Where is the largest helium reserve? ›
As of 2022, the reserves of helium in the United States amounted to more than 8.5 billion cubic meters, making it the country with the largest reserves of helium globally. Algeria was the second leading country in terms of helium reserves, with reserves totaling 1,800 cubic meters.
Helium shortage raises concerns around MRI machines. The U.S. is experiencing the fourth in a series of helium shortages since 2006, according to helium consultant Phil Kornbluth. “The world has experienced eight years of helium shortage in the last 17.
How much helium does the BLM plant supply? ›
The Storage for Government and Private helium as of October 1, 2022: Government = 1,992,977 Mcf. Private = 2,066,257 Mcf.
Can you get helium tanks refilled? ›
Helium tanks are recyclable when you're done using them, but they are not refillable. Helium tanks are recyclable when you're done using them, but they are not refillable.
What state has the most helium? ›
Helium occurs with other gasses in pockets beneath the Earth's surface. The most economical source of helium is natural gas, all of which contains some helium. Natural gas in the States of Texas, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming is richer in helium than what has been recovered from other States.
Who is the largest consumer of helium in the US? ›
The U.S. Government owns much of the country's helium, and also is the nation's largest consumer of the resource.
Does baking soda and vinegar make helium? ›
SCIENCE: When baking soda and vinegar are mixed together, it creates a gas called carbon dioxide. The gas begins to expand in the bottle and starts to inflate the balloon. The more gas that is created, the larger the balloon will inflate.
Why are helium balloons not allowed? ›
The helium balloons eventually fall and end up cluttering the land, waters and harming wildlife. Balloons bobbing in the ocean are mistaken for food and swallowed by marine life. Other wildlife get tangled in the strings attached to the balloons.
Do foil balloons hold helium? ›
You don't want that. Use a balloon pump or inflate with helium. Tip number three. Mini balloons, latex and foil, can only be filled with air.
What are 3 facts about helium? ›
Fun Facts About Helium:
- Helium makes up about 24% of the mass of the universe and is the second most abundant element!
- The word helium comes from the Greek helios, which means sun!
- Helium atoms are so light that they are able to escape Earth's gravity!
Drawbacks with helium are a high cost and low density. A higher gas flow rate must be used to secure the shielding effect.
Sulfur Hexafluoride, the Anti-Helium. Science.
How many years will helium last? ›
The United States' reserves were purchased in 1925 and will be gone in only a hundred years from getting it. Once the Helium is released into the atmosphere it is gone forever. There is no chemical way of manufacturing Helium. The reserves the U.S. has came from very slow radioactive alpha decay that occurs in rock.
Does helium affect global warming? ›
Helium does not contribute to global warming but is another sign of the increased use of fossil fuels. The researchers also measured a rise in levels of a rarer isotope called helium-3. The team cannot explain the increase, which can't be accounted for by known sources such as nuclear weapons tests.
Why doesn't helium follow the drop the one rule? ›
There are more exceptions to the octet rule for the noble gasses. Note that helium (He) is noble. It is element number 2 with only 2 electrons, so it cannot possibly have an octet of 8 electrons.
What happens if you hold in helium? ›
Breathing in pure helium deprives the body of oxygen, as if you were holding your breath. If you couldn't breathe at all, you'd start to die in minutes—as soon as your body exhausted the supply of oxygen stored in the blood.
Does helium want to bond? ›
Elemental helium does not chemically bond with other elements because it is inert, meaning its valence shell is completely full. Therefore there are no known compounds of helium; even in the laboratory people have never been able to get helium chemically react with anything.
What is the 2 8 8 rule? ›
We should start with the atoms that have atomic numbers between 1 and 18. There is a 2-8-8 rule for these elements. The first shell is filled with 2 electrons, the second is filled with 8 electrons, and the third is filled with 8. You can see that sodium (Na) and magnesium (Mg) have a couple of extra electrons.
Can Helium reach $1000? ›
Can Helium (HNT) reach $1000? Yes, it is possible that Helium can reach $1000, but only in the distant future, after 2032.
Will Helium be on Coinbase? ›
Helium or HNT tokens can be bought at many decentralized exchanges. Coinbase, however, provides an easy way to obtain HNT tokens.
Will Helium mining be profitable in 2023? ›
Absolutely ! I consider myself a hobbyist and my miner earns approximately . 30 HNT per day as I have a better than average location . I continue to mine in a bear market because eventually the bear will become a bull market and crypto prices across the board will rise once again.
If you are unsure if your helium tank is empty, do not dispose of it at the curb. Dispose of it as hazardous waste instead.
Can I return empty helium tank to party city? ›
Yes, exceptions include: Helium tanks. Custom & personalized items (US only) Partial Party Kits - Party Kit components may not be returned individually.
How many balloons will a 14.9 helium tank fill? ›
14.9 cu. ft. Fills up to 50 latex balloons (9"), 27 latex balloons (11") or 27 foil/Mylar balloons (18")
Does helium crypto have a future? ›
Helium Price Prediction 2028
Crypto experts are constantly analyzing the fluctuations of Helium. Based on their predictions, the estimated average HNT price will be around $23.49. It might drop to a minimum of $22.68, but it still might reach $27.22 throughout 2028.
Does helium have a future? ›
According to our technical analysis and Helium price prediction, the coin reflects a promising future. It will be around $5.95 by the end of 2023 and $12.08 by 2026, making it a profitable investment. Helium has been showing a rising tendency and holds a long-term earning potential.
Will helium run out? ›
Yes, the Earth is running out of helium because it is a nonrenewable resource. This is how Total Helium brings value to its investors and other stakeholders, by performing the important work of helium exploration and storage.
What will we replace helium with? ›
Argon can be used instead of Helium and is preferred for certain types of metal.
What do they use instead of helium for balloons? ›
Sodium hydroxide, also commonly known as Caustic soda, is generally available at home and in grocery stores as well.
