Tight supply is the most notable aspect of this year’s review of the worldwide helium market. Uncertainties relating to timing of future supply sources, projecting market demand during uncertain economic times, and the United States Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) changing role in supply make this a challenging market to manage.
This year was particularly tough with supply disruptions affecting most of the major sources of helium across the globe.
Disruptions resulted from a range of factors including the lack of feedstock from LNG plants caused by lower consumption during the economic recession, planned and prolonged maintenance shutdowns, the Russian discontinuation of exports, and trouble maintaining pressure in the BLM pipeline, a system entering declining stages of output. The tight supply of helium is expected to remain until significant new planned supply comes on at Qatar II in mid-2013. Two projects due to come on line prior to 2012 will provide some respite. These include the startup of the Air Products/MATHESON joint venture at Big Piney, WY late this year and the Skikda LNG megatrain plant coming on late next year, which will supply additional feedgas volumes to their existing helium plant. We expect that these additional supplies will be fully consumed by existing demand.
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