Helium

Helium: A strategic and highly sought-after resource

Due to its extreme rarity on earth and its unique physical and chemical properties, helium is a highly sought-after resource.

Why is helium a strategic resource?

helium production sites limited and concentrated

A restricted number of production sites

Helium production sites are limited and concentrated in a minority of countries, particularly in the United States, Qatar, Algeria, Australia, Russia and Poland.

helium key resources

Uses booming

Helium is a key resource essential for many industries, such as new technologies. The number of uses keeps increasing every day!

importation helium

Unequally distributed production

The places of consumption do not match with production areas. As a result, Western Europe imports all its helium needs at high energy costs.

helium has unique properties

No effective substitute

Helium has unique properties that most of users have so far not been able to substitute.

helium synthesis is complex and inefficient

Unsustainable synthesis

Helium synthesis is possible but complex and inefficient to represent a viable alternative.

helium is found with nature gas

Dependency to natural gas

The majority of helium reserves, mostly discovered by chance, are a by-product of natural gas fields.

The worldwide helium market

Helium has become a strategic resource, where demand is growing and production is unequally distributed. In a context where the resource is becoming increasingly scarce, the cost of helium continues to rise (+195% over the last 5 years).

It is therefore more than essential to produce the resource locally, and in a short circuit, in order to participate in European sovereignty, while reducing environmental impacts.

Consommation

No Data Found

Production

No Data Found

Source: IHS Markit

Gaseous Helium average price (€/m³)

No Data Found

Source : 45-8 ENERGY data compilation – Gaseous helium in B402X cylinder

Helium physical properties

Helium: unique, rare and valuable

Inert

It does not react and does not alter the material with which it is in contact.

Lightweight

More than air and therefore the ideal gas for lifting airships and festive balloons.

Poorly soluble

This property makes it very effective for deep-sea diving.

Very low liquefaction temperature

This gives it the quality of excellent cooler, especially for medical MRIs, cryogenics or superconducting magnets.

Non-flammable

It can be produced and used safely whatever is the context.

Non-toxic

It is a neutral gas that can be used for many applications without any risk.

Volatile

It is a tiny molecule that escapes through any crack, making it ideal for leak detection.

Inert

Helium does not react and does not alter the materials with which it is in contact.

Lightweight

Lighter than air, helium is the ideal gas for lifting airships and festive balloons.

Poorly soluble

The low solubility of helium makes it very effective for deep-sea diving.

Very low liquefaction temperature

Helium has the quality of an excellent cooler, especially for medical MRI, cryogenics or superconducting magnets.

Non-flammable

Helium can be produced and used safely in any context.

Non-toxic

Helium is a neutral gas that can be used for many applications without any risk.

Volatile

Helium is a very small molecule that escapes through any crack, making it ideal for leak detection.

Helium uses

Helium is a necessary resource for many industries. Often unknown, the uses of helium are varied.

Helium in a few figures

Helium price had tripled over the last 5 years.
x 0
This is the current global demand for helium.
0 Mm³
This is the current global production of helium.
0 Mm³
This is the percentage of helium imported into Western Europe.
0 %
This is the temperature of helium liquefaction, the lowest that exists!
- 0 °C
Helium price had tripled over the last 5 years.
x 0
This is the current global demand for helium.
0 Mm³
This is the current global production of helium.
0 Mm³
This is the percentage of helium imported into Western Europe.
0 %
This is the temperature of helium liquefaction, the lowest that exists!
- 0 °C