5 Facts About the Global Helium Shortage
Helium, commonly used to inflate balloons, is much more than a party trick. It’s a critical component in various industries, notably for its application in the field of calibration, where its inert properties and low boiling point are of prime utility. The recent shortage may seem like a minor hiccup in the grand scheme of global economics, but for businesses reliant on helium, the situation is far more critical. Here’s a quick look at some facts surrounding the global helium shortage.
The Importance of Helium in Various Industries
Helium is an essential element for tasks requiring low temperatures, like cooling superconducting magnets in MRI machines or as a shielding gas in arc welding to prevent oxidation. Additionally, professionals who depend on precise calibration need to buy helium from specialty gas suppliers to ensure the quality and accuracy of their instruments. This gas is irreplaceable in such scenarios due to its unique chemical properties.
The Causes of the Shortage
The most important thing to know about global helium shortage is that it’s not a sudden drought but a culmination of multiple factors. Mainly, helium is a non-renewable resource. The very nature of the Earth’s geology has confined this lighter-than-air gas in subterranean pockets over millions of years. Add to this the closure of major helium operations—due to the high cost of separation or closed-off reserves for strategic reasons—and we have a dwindling supply in a previously oversaturated market.
The Impact on Businesses Requiring Calibration Gas
As a specialty gas supplier, we care about how this affects businesses where precise measurements dictate the validity of their results or the safety of their operations. Incremental price increases are financial burdens that can impact the regularity of calibrations and throw off the accuracy of equipment. This may hamper the safety and performance of industrial and medical machinery.
The Innovative Solutions and Alternatives to Helium
On the upside, this crisis is sparking innovation in several fields. From the unlikely emergence of private helium reserves to the development of new technologies and materials that could reduce helium consumption, industry leaders are exploring creative methods to mitigate the crisis. In the immediate term, we are also turning to alternative gases for calibration and other practices, though they do not always offer the same level of precision.
The Future of the Helium Market
Despite these potential solutions, the future of helium is uncertain. The depletion of current sources and the limited success in extracting helium from renewable sources en masse raise concerns about long-term availability. That means business owners must do what they can to slow down this process.
If you can’t do without this essential element, you’ll need to rely on a specialty gas supplier, like MESA Specialty Gas. We have many types of gases available for calibration processes, and we’ll continue providing helium to our customers for as long as we possibly can.