After The Linde Group’s BOC announced that construction had commenced on its helium plant in Darwin, Australia in a ground-breaking ceremony, Linde itself has delivered an update on the project and confirmed construction is underway.
The facility will be Australia’s first helium plant, located in the Northern Territory and also the first such plant in the southern hemisphere, supplying all of Australia’s domestic helium needs as well providing capacity for export to New Zealand and Asian markets.
Linde’s Darwin plant, through its Australian BOC subsidiary, will produce around 150 million cubic feet per year of helium – enough to meet 3% of the world’s helium demand.
BOC had revealed that a ground-breaking ceremony with the Northern Territory Minister for Infrastructure and Transport had taken place and work was underway with the project, with Linde now confirming this and stressing the significance of the plant.
When operational in July 2009 as expected, its production will replace helium currently coming to Australia from the US and Middle East. The plant will be the world’s first new helium source in three years.
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