Russian move another helium blow

Options are dwindling on how to top up helium supply chains as the war in Iran bites harder.

Russia, the world’s third-biggest helium supplier, has introduced temporary export controls on the gas, claiming it needs to maintain consistent supplies to its domestic market.

With the world’s second largest producer, Qatar, largely out of action because of attacks from Iran, things are not likely to return to normal any time soon.

Russia needs helium for fibre optics which are used by its army to control drones. Their Amur processing plant is the world’s single largest producer.

Though repairs are under way at the war-damaged helium production sites in Qatar, there is no short-term hope of the 20-30% hole in worldwide supply coming back online.

Two out of three trains at QELNG North 1, part of the massive Ras Laffan site, are back working, but company officials have said there is no point starting even scaled back production until the Strait of Hormuz is open.

Meanwhile, the challenges facing the helium world have been front and centre at the largest industrial gas supply chain expo this week.

CIGIE 2026 in Wuxi, China, attracted more than 500 participants, including PJSC Gazprom, QatarEnergy, North American Helium, Linde, Air Liquide, Air Products, Messer and Nippon Sanso Holdings and ASP Isotopes.

The agenda was firmly aligned with current market dislocation, with sessions spanning global supply and pricing dynamics, liquefaction and cryogenic logistics, semiconductor and scientific end-use demand, and the growing strategic focus on helium-3 and other emerging applications.

In other helium developments:

• Samsung Electronics and SK hynix signed long-term supply agreements with Linde and Air Products to secure helium supplies for semiconductor production amid concerns triggered by the conflict. The companies have offset potential shortages by leveraging US-sourced helium.

• Canadian research labs are facing a 50% reduction in helium allocations as the supply crisis from the Middle East escalates. Like Australia, Canada imports nearly all of its helium.

Meanwhile, another company has announced plans to mine helium-3 on the moon. Iowa-based industrial equipment manufacturer Vermeer Corp is targeting a first harvest within four to six years. Traces of helium-3 were found in testing at Gold Hydrogen’s South Australian site.