Where does all the helium that we use come from?

Abstract

Helium occurs naturally in association with geological fluids and is regarded by economists as a mineral commodity. Commercially, helium is obtained as a by-product from natural gas reservoirs that typically have concentrations of up to 1% He by volume (STP). Existing sources of helium within the USA are expected to decline in parallel with declining natural gas production. Huge reserves of helium occur in Algeria, Qatar and Russia, which are likely to dominate production for the next several decades. In this context, political and economic factors that affect hydrocarbon gas production may influence the availability and price of helium. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.