Hi Karen Ann,
We are getting the same treatment here from BOC gases. There is 'perfect
storm' of high demand and interrupted supply through the Summer and Fall.
Here's an excerpt from one of BOC's explanations (BLM is Bureau of Land
Management):
USA provides 85% of the world's helium. There are only a few other
locations that produce helium, like Russia and Poland. The new plant in
Qatar was supposed to relieve some of the world dependence off the USA but
they have not been able to produce any more than 40% of their expectations
as of today. Helium product is a by-product of natural gas wells and volume
is pretty much controlled by the output and productivity and shutdown
situations for emergency and/or maintenance of those pipeline wells.
1. BLM Pipeline supply – on which all helium refiners (BOC/Prax/APCI)
rely – has been curtailed by approx 15% for an indefinite period, curtailing
Otis, Kansas production (55% of BOC worldwide supply)
2. Qatar & Poland reduced output in June (10% of BOC’s worldwide supply)
3. Algeria – shutdown planned for late July through late August (9% of
industry supply, 3% of BOC’s worldwide supply)
4. Exxon annual shutdown planned for September timeframe (22% of industry
supply, 25% of BOC worldwide supply)
5. Major maintenance of BLM’s Crude Helium Enrichment Unit planned for
October
All suppliers of Helium are affected by these occurrences of production and
equipment failures. This is not an exclusive BOC problem. For example, Air
Products gets 45% of their helium from Exxon. Although Praxair does not
have problems reference to the BLM, they do get over 55% of their product
from Exxon. Air Liquide gets most of their product from the 3 major
suppliers. During a situation like this, those major suppliers are not
going to provide a competitor with product they cannot supply directly to
their contracted customers.
END of Excerpt.
Cheers,
Jerry Hirschinger, NMR Instrumentation Specialist
Purdue Interdepartmental NMR Facility
560 Oval Dr. West Lafayette, IN 47907-2084
Office: Wetherill 365A
Phone / Fax: (765) 494-5288 / 494-0239
Cellular: (765) 427-3034
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Karen Ann Smith [mailto:karenann_at_unm.edu]
> Sent: Friday, July 28, 2006 3:34 PM
> To: AMMRL
> Subject: AMMRL- helium shortage?
>
>
> AMMRLers,
>
> I heard that all helium (liquid and gas) will be in short supply this
> summer and fall (in the US). Specifically, that customers (such as our
> stockroom) will get only 85% of their current orders. The current level
> of supply is expected to resume fall/winter.
>
> Anyone know anything more?
>
> kas
> --
> Karen Ann Smith karenann_at_unm.edu
> Director, NMR Facility Adj. Asst. Prof.
> Dept. of Chemistry Clark Hall MSC03 2060
> University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
> 505.277.4031 url: http://www.unm.edu/~karenann
> Out of this world screensaver: http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu
> "There is nothing a good day of cycling won't cure."
>
Received on Mon Jul 31 2006 - 12:03:45 MST