Let’s dive into just three trends that emerged from the helium shortage, and that are here to stay. And thus, we entered the balloon revolution. The lack of helium led to real innovation within the balloon industry, as sellers needed a more prominent way to market their product and party coordinators needed a way to still add that pop of color to their venues. Not only are helium prices rising well beyond the average birthday party budget, consumers understand that they can play a small part in reducing the helium crisis by opting to other, even more eye-catching balloon installations.įorget what you know about balloons, because they don’t need to float to be the centerpiece of your party. That’s why veteran event coordinators and novice party planners alike are rethinking their decorations. If these professionals were forced to use alternative solutions to helium, it would have lasting ramifications for the efficiency of their research, the price of our medical bills, and so much more. It’s helium's importance to live-saving medicine and technological development that makes it such a hot commodity. It’s used in rocket engines, MRI scans, scuba tanks, and, most importantly, party balloons. Why, you ask? To simplify a very complex topic: it’s nontoxic, nonflammable, and has the lowest boiling point of all elements, so it’s scientists’ and medical professionals’ go-to. While helium is the third most abundant element in the universe, we’re burning through our supply way faster than it’s naturally producing. Helium is a rare substance produced when. The supply ebbs and flows, so it’s often difficult to predict its market price. A global helium shortage has been affecting celebrations with balloons and even the National Weather Service. Actually, there’s been three global helium shortages in the last fourteen years. I know this is a grim forecast but like Helium, try to “lighten up”.So, there’s a helium shortage. (Generators are available at Middlesex Gases & Technologies for a number of various gases) We all need to “Think Helium” and know that within 8-10 years, under current circumstances, there will be no more supply. If having Hydrogen on site scares you, consider a Hydrogen generator. Availability will become more crucial than price and hard decisions will have to be made as to who the supply will feed.įor those of you using Helium where Hydrogen could be used, like in GC applications, please consider a switch to Hydrogen. Prices will continue to climb as the supply and demand scale is way out of balance. In addition some plants are shut down for maintenance, some have equipment failures and still others have been hit hard by weather related events.Īll said, we are in a bad way concerning our global supply of Helium. There are a limited number of plants globally that are performing the fractional distillation process needed to separate the Helium from other gases and then purifying it. Our demand worldwide is growing at a rate far greater than our production of this product. If the Helium is not captured during this process it is simply lost to our atmosphere and off into space. Helium accounts for approximately 7% of the Natural Gas extraction process. Strange as it sounds, the lighter-than-air element that gives. Raw helium is now selling for 350 per Mcf. Natural gas prices (Henry Hub) are hovering around 3 per Mcf. Helium is mined from the ground and is captured during the extraction process of Natural Gas. A global helium shortage has doctors worried about one of the natural gas’s most essential, and perhaps unexpected, uses: MRIs. Helium is about 100X more valuable than Natural gas. If you haven’t purchased a balloon lately prepare for some sticker shock! The list of applications goes on and on and at the lower end of the feeding chain is the balloon vendor with a consumption of about 8%. It is not a rumor, it is very true.Īpproximately 20% of the worldwide requirements for Helium is to super cool magnets in MRI machines, another 17% is used in Laser Cutting applications. I guess we have all heard about the worldwide shortage of Helium in recent months.
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