U of A finds Calgary-based benefactor to help with helium shortage

College of Alberta analysis tools prone to injury as a result of a world helium scarcity has been saved — not less than within the short-term.

Liquid helium is required to maintain superconducting magnets in devices, resembling mass spectrometers and MRI machines, at extraordinarily low temperatures.

Ryan McKay, a facility supervisor accountable for the specialised tools, mentioned the college was anticipating to solely get about 75 per cent of the wanted provide this 12 months.

“Superconducting magnets do not function that method,” he mentioned. “We want fixed provides.”

Just a few months in the past, McKay began wanting far afield for options. He related with Calgary-based North American Helium.

The corporate has stepped as much as assist hold the helium flowing to round 20 Canadian academic analysis establishments, with a quantity equal to about three months of provide.

The corporate doesn’t have distribution capabilities, mentioned North American Helium president Marlon McDougall, so it has to promote helium on to distributors with an settlement that it might attain the establishments.

The U of A has greater than 20 superconducting magnets, every with an estimated worth of $1 million. The help means the college does not “have to choose which quarter of them die,” McKay mentioned.

“I have not even been in a position to start to calculate how a lot infrastructure cash has been saved throughout Canada.”

Want for home helium

The scenario demonstrates the necessity for Canada to additional develop its home helium manufacturing from extraction to supply, McKay mentioned.

Alberta launched a brand new royalty construction for helium two years in the past, in a bid to buoy exploration and manufacturing.

Saskatchewan is posturing to turn into a helium manufacturing chief. aiming to provide 10 per cent of the worldwide market by 2030.

North American Helium presently operates amenities in Saskatchewan, together with a $32-million purification plant in Battle Creek, Sask., which the corporate says is the biggest helium manufacturing facility in Canada.

As a Canadian company, North American Helium was motivated to do what it may, McDougall mentioned. 

“This was an issue in Canada and I feel options in Canada are good issues,” he mentioned.

McDougall hopes to broaden operations within the close to future — however he mentioned there stays “a big shortfall” between provide and demand.

International scarcity

Helium provide is an intricately related market. The highest three producers are america, Algeria and Qatar.

The availability chain for helium, as with different commodities, has been an ongoing difficulty all through the COVID-19 pandemic, mentioned Phil Kornbluth, president of Kornbluth Helium Consulting.

However 2022 introduced extra surprising disruptions, together with the shutdown of a significant purification plant in Texas over issues of safety. The opening of a significant facility in Russia was additionally delayed.

“This 12 months was anticipated to be a 12 months the place the market transitioned from tight provide to extra ample provide,” Kornbluth mentioned.

He predicts there might be some aid on the horizon as a result of a number of developments, resembling decreased demand from Chinese language industries beneath COVID-19 lockdown, and the Texas facility coming again on-line within the close to future.

“Among the destructive issues which have prompted the scarcity ought to go away,” Kornbluth mentioned. 

“Doesn’t suggest the scarcity ends, however it ought to be much less extreme throughout the second half [of the year].”