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Helium is a colorless, odorless, non-combustible gas. It is widely known for its use in providing lift for balloons and airships. However, its major uses are in cryogenic applications, for pressurizing and purging and as a welding cover gas. In 2006, these three applications accounted for nearly three-quarters of global helium consumption.

Russia produced 7 million cubic meters of helium, accounting for 4.3 percent of the world production in 2006. By comparison, the world's biggest producer of helium, the USA, produced 134 million cubic meters or 83 percent of world production that year.

Russia's estimated reserves of helium are 6.7 billion cubic meters of which 1.68 are presently economically recoverable. This compares to the USA's reserves of 8.3 billion cubic meters of which 3.5 are presently economically recoverable. The rest of the world has estimated reserves of helium of 25 billion cubic meters.

Helium is found mixed with natural gas and oil deposits where it can make up to 7 percent of the gaseous volume. However, in Russia it is rarely found in concentrations greater than 0.7 percent.

To recover helium from natural gas deposits, the mixture of gasses is cooled to below -300 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature all the components of the mixture apart from helium liquefy, and can be easily separated. Removing helium from natural gas in this way improves the combustion properties of the natural gas.

The recovery of helium takes place on an industrial scale at large gas processing plants. Presently, the Orenburg Gas Processing Plant produces all Russian helium. The Russian gas monopolist Gazprom own and operate this facility. Russia consumes one million cubic meters of this production annually. The rest is exported, mainly to Europe.

The Russian government considers helium to be a strategic resource and has plans to be producing 40 percent of the world's helium by 2030.

There is currently a major infrastructure development underway in Russia. This will develop a unified system for the production, transportation and distribution of natural gas in the Russian Far East and Eastern Siberia. Gazprom is leading the project.

In April 2006, Gazprom held a conference to discuss development of these complex hydrocarbon deposits. These deposits, especially Kovyktinskoye condensate gas deposit in Irkutsk Oblast, contain huge reserves of helium. Gazprom's plans include building a second helium recovery and liquefaction plant at Sayansk. Helium from here is to be exported to China and the Pacific Rim. But these markets are small at present.

By 2030, the Russian Far East and Eastern Siberia will produce 40 percent of Russian helium.

Learn more about this author, T J Neale.
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