Skip to main content

Currently Skimming:

2 The Helium Supply Chain
Pages 45-53

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 45...
... RAW HELIUM SUPPLIES Currently, the only commercially feasible source of helium is its extraction from natural gas, and then only when the following conditions are satisfied: • The natural gas fields in question are of sufficient volume that the amount of helium projected to be extracted justifies the expense of installing helium extraction facilities; 4
From page 46...
... Figure 1.3 shows the location of important sources of helium in the United States. • The extraction of natural gas streams rich in CO2, where the CO2 is used for enhanced oil recovery (EOR)
From page 47...
... However, the helium extraction and refining facilities connected to the Helium Pipeline have been constructed such that extraction plants can deliver crude helium directly to a refining facility or to the Helium Pipeline, and the refining facilities can, by the same token, process crude helium supplied either from an adjoining extraction facility or from the Helium Pipeline. The natural gas companies that produce the crude helium have operations involved in natural gas recovery, pipeline transportation, and processing for NGLs.
From page 48...
... In the United States, before natural gas containing raw helium will be considered "crude helium," it must have a helium concentration of more than 50 percent and only limited amounts of certain impu rities such as H2, which must be less than 20 parts per million (ppm)
From page 49...
... These same companies also are responsible for the design and construction of most of the world's helium refining plants and for virtually all of the primary distribution of the refined helium gas and liquid from the United States and international plants to the largest direct users of helium and to their own or other distributors' redistribution centers around the world. Details of this distribution network are discussed in the following section.
From page 50...
... The principal companies engaged in each link of the supply chain are identified: AP, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.; Linde, Linde North America Inc., a member of the Linde Group; AL, Air Liquide; Praxair, Praxair, Inc. SOURCE: CryoGas International.
From page 51...
... These companies also have significant access to the international end-use customer population and are responsible for many of the technology and applications developments in helium use and conservation. Most of the industrial gas and therefore helium markets of the United States, Europe, South America and Asia are dominated by the five large international gas companies that control the worldwide market for helium -- Air Products, Linde, Praxair, Air Liquide, and Taiyo Nippon Sanso.
From page 52...
... cylinders of gaseous helium; (B) dewars of liquid helium (appearing in the background)
From page 53...
... Estimating the costs and therefore the amount to be charged for primary distribution to customers in other countries is complicated by the high cost of ocean transport and the wide variations encountered, and the subsequent trucking costs from the foreign receiving depot to inland transfill points.


This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More information on Chapter Skim is available.