Japan Helium Centre (JHC), helium producer and affiliated company of Taiyo Nippon Sanso, obtained permission for the first time to import helium from Qatar into Japan.
JHC is a joint venture in which Taiyo Nippon Sanso put up 40%, BOC 40%, Tomoe Shokai 10%, Suzuki Shokan 6%, and Chubo 4%, making for a total of 5 investing companies.
The reason to focus on helium from Qatar was through a request from BOC which shares sales rights with Air Liquide for the helium produced and refined in Qatar. Indicating an aim at a 2 source importation arrangement, Takashi Ogiya, a senior general manager at JHC, stated, “With just the U.S. as our source, we are easily affected by port strikes such as the last one and extreme shortages caused by a tight supply. By diversifying our sources, we anticipate that we should be able to mitigate the risk. The present importation is a test run, and if circumstances are favourable, we will continue to import on a constant basis. Our idea is eventually to switch over to Qatar for 30% of our requirement.”
Production of helium in Qatar, which boasts of one of the largest natural gas reserves in the world, is undertaken by Ras Gas. It has a plant at the Ras Laffan gas field located about 75 km north of the capital Doha. The production capacity during Phase 1š that went into operation in 2003 amounted to an annual 9.6 million. Phase 2, which was completed in November of last year, has an annual production capacity of 8.3 million . There are 7 plants which refine about 50% of the crude helium using PSA and refining equipment. There are also four 10-ton-storage tanks. Ras Gas has contracts with BOC and Air Liquide whereby each take over 50% of the production.
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