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World Helium Watch
Supply is shaped by operating plants, transport, storage, trade decisions and new projects. This watch records what sources actually reported and what remains uncertain.
Earth from Apollo 17, 1972. NASA / Apollo 17.
How to read this watch
Selected developments published January 1–October 23, 2026. This is a dated research collection, not an automatically updated live feed.
Company announcements, official statements, reporting and research preprints are labeled separately. Announced projects and annualized rates are not the same as demonstrated annual production.
Jump to: January–March · April–June · July–October
January–March
2026-01-07 · ASP Isotopes completes Renergen acquisition
ASP Isotopes announced completion of its Renergen acquisition, bringing the Virginia Gas Project into the group.
Why it matters: Potential diversification of liquid-helium supply.
Evidence: Company announcement · ASP Isotopes [S39]
Read with care: Acquisition is not proof of full commercial output.
Event date: 2026-01-06; publication date: 2026-01-07.
2026-01-08 · Recirculating helium cooling for silicon detectors
A Nab experiment paper describes recirculating gaseous helium for cooling silicon detectors and electronics.
Why it matters: A concrete application combining helium use with recirculation.
Evidence: Research preprint · Richburg et al. / arXiv [S40]
Read with care: Abstract reviewed; full technical and publication-status review remains.
2026-01-26 · QatarEnergy and Air Liquide announce helium supply deal
QatarEnergy announced an agreement to supply Air Liquide around 300 million cubic feet of helium annually.
Why it matters: Records pre-disruption expectations of expanding international supply.
Evidence: Official statement · QNA / QatarEnergy [S33]
Read with care: Contracted annual volume is not delivered output.
2026-01-29 · Renergen outlines progress toward commercial operation
ASP Isotopes reported drilling, gas-flow and plant-readiness progress at Renergen.
Why it matters: Tracks an alternative supply project before the Gulf disruption.
Evidence: Company announcement · ASP Isotopes [S41]
Read with care: Management forecasts and operational claims require later outcome checks.
2026-03-02 · QatarEnergy halts LNG and associated production
QatarEnergy said it ceased LNG and associated production following attacks on operating facilities.
Why it matters: Helium recovered with LNG processing is exposed to the interruption.
Evidence: Official statement · QNA / QatarEnergy [S42]
Read with care: The announcement does not quantify helium-specific capacity or permanent losses.
2026-03-12 · Reuters reports helium price surge after Qatar halt
Reuters reported sharply higher helium prices and supply concerns following Qatar's LNG interruption.
Why it matters: Shows the market impact beyond the initial plant announcement.
Evidence: Original reporting · Reuters [S43]
Read with care: Spot indications vary by market and contract; no universal price benchmark.
2026-03-19 · QatarEnergy confirms further damage at Ras Laffan
QatarEnergy reported missile attacks and extensive damage to LNG facilities after the March 18 Pearl GTL attack.
Why it matters: Separates the initial shutdown from subsequent physical damage.
Evidence: Official statement · QatarEnergy [S34]
Read with care: Does not establish that all helium plants or underground reserves were destroyed.
2026-03-23 · Renergen completes Phase 1 drilling program
ASP Isotopes announced completion of wells required for Phase 1, approximately four months ahead of its schedule.
Why it matters: Addresses feed-gas constraints on plant utilization.
Evidence: Company announcement · ASP Isotopes [S44]
Read with care: Drilling completion and available flow do not prove sustained saleable helium output.
April–June
2026-04-01 · Philips makes case for sealed low-helium MRI
Philips described BlueSeal magnets using a sealed seven-liter helium inventory and no routine helium refills.
Why it matters: Equipment design can reduce demand and exposure to supply interruptions.
Evidence: Manufacturer statement · Philips [S45]
Read with care: Manufacturer account. Helium-free operations does not mean zero helium inside the magnet.
2026-04-14 · Russia introduces permission-based helium exports
Interfax reported a temporary approval regime for helium exports outside the Eurasian Economic Union through end-2027.
Why it matters: Adds a policy constraint to international sourcing.
Evidence: Original reporting · Interfax [S46]
Read with care: Reported approval requirement, not an outright export ban. Original decree and later amendments still need intake.
2026-05-02 · Songwe mining-licence ceremony
Helium One documented its mining-licence ceremony in Songwe and engagement with government officials.
Why it matters: Marks project development in a potential additional supply region.
Evidence: Company announcement · Helium One [S47]
Read with care: Licence ceremony is not confirmation of commercial helium production.
2026-06-22 · Barzan explosion reported separately from March attacks
QatarEnergy updated its account of a June 21 explosion and fire at the Barzan domestic gas-supply facility.
Why it matters: Prevents conflation of separate incidents at the Ras Laffan complex.
Evidence: Official statement · QatarEnergy [S35]
Read with care: The company said LNG export capabilities were unaffected by this incident; that does not erase earlier damage.
Event date: 2026-06-21; publication date: 2026-06-22.
2026-06-25 · Chipmakers use storage and diversified sourcing
The Journal reported that inventories, storage and diversified supply helped chipmakers maintain operations despite the shock.
Why it matters: Evidence that storage and preparation can cushion disruption.
Evidence: Original reporting · The Wall Street Journal [S48]
Read with care: Sector-specific reporting; does not establish that every user avoided shortages.
July–October
2026-07-10 · China announces temporary helium export prohibition
Announcement 2026 No. 29 temporarily prohibited helium exports effective on publication.
Why it matters: Limits another route for helium reaching international customers.
Evidence: Official statement · China Ministry of Commerce / Customs [S49]
Read with care: English summary of Chinese official text. Track later notices separately.
2026-07-15 · Helium One discusses first Galactica helium sale
Helium One discussed its first helium sale from the Galactica project in Colorado.
Why it matters: A sales milestone is stronger evidence of market entry than a discovery announcement.
Evidence: Company announcement · Helium One [S50]
Read with care: Company interview; verify shipment records and sustained volumes separately.
2026-07-20 · FT reports European exposure to Chinese export halt
The FT reported that China's export halt tightened European supply, including routes used for Russian-origin helium.
Why it matters: Shows the importance of trade routes as well as production locations.
Evidence: Original reporting · Financial Times [S51]
Read with care: Re-export estimates are attributed reporting, not independently audited shipment totals.
2026-09-21 · QatarEnergy sets out repair and restart expectations
QatarEnergy described damage to two LNG trains and a GTL plant and outlined expected repair periods and restart conditions.
Why it matters: Provides a later update to the March damage reports.
Evidence: Official statement · QatarEnergy [S12]
Read with care: Forecasts and conditional restart statements are not completed repairs or actual helium output.
2026-09-22 · Stewart Valley helium facility comes onstream
North American Helium said Stewart Valley started operating September 20 at an annualized rate near 73 million cubic feet.
Why it matters: Adds a reported new source outside the Gulf.
Evidence: Company announcement · North American Helium / Newsfile [S52]
Read with care: Annualized operating rate is not cumulative annual production; largest-field claim is company-qualified.
Event date: 2026-09-20; publication date: 2026-09-22.
2026-10-14 · Topaz helium-3 recovery evaluation agreement
Pulsar and Lunar Helium-3 Mining announced an agreement to evaluate recovery of helium-3 from Topaz gas.
Why it matters: Tracks terrestrial isotope-recovery research relevant to quantum technologies.
Evidence: Company announcement · Pulsar Helium [S53]
Read with care: Evaluation-stage work. Helium-3 must be distinguished from the bulk helium-4 market.
2026-10-15 · Saskatchewan confirms Stewart Valley facility opening
Saskatchewan announced the opening of the Stewart Valley purification facility and cited annual output near 73 million cubic feet.
Why it matters: Adds a government account of the September production announcement.
Evidence: Official statement · Government of Saskatchewan [S54]
Read with care: Same facility as the September record; do not count it as a second new plant.
2026-10-23 · DOE adds helium to its critical-material list
DOE announced helium's addition to its critical-material list and posted a signed explanatory notice.
Why it matters: Elevates supply resilience and helium's role in energy technologies.
Evidence: Official statement · U.S. Department of Energy [S30]
Read with care: DOE designation differs from USGS critical-minerals listing. Federal Register publication controls over the posted notice.
Keep the categories clear
Damage to processing infrastructure is different from destruction of underground resources. Licensing, drilling, first sales and sustained production are separate stages.
Two announcements about the Stewart Valley facility describe the same plant. Helium-3 evaluation projects belong in a different market context from bulk helium-4.
Russian storage claims should be attributed to the operator and checked against independent records. Gazprom’s 2024 statement is background, rather than a new 2026 event.
Sources: Gazprom [S08] · USGS [S02]
