helium as a critical commodity: opportunities in the

Helium as a critical commodity: opportunities in the Northern Territory Kathryn Waltenberg

image: thebasewarehouse.com.au

8%

The many uses of helium

Helium as a critical commodity: opportunities in the Northern Territory

nasa.gov www.calhoun.edu

heliumleaktesting.com iStockphoto

ychi.leeds.ac.uk

26% 17% 17%

2% 22% 4%

Performs an essential function for which few or no satisfactory substitutes exist

Critical commodities report


Available through GA website http://www.ga.gov.au/corporate_data/76526/76526.pdf

Where do we get helium from? Trapped or created at depth, escapes to space if reaches atmosphere

For economic extraction, helium needs to be trapped and concentrated

Source rock → migration pathway → trap (seal)

Helium accumulates

in natural gas

reservoirs

High He:

• old, or

• highly radioactive


Helium extraction • From natural gas

• Helium extracted before natural gas enters domestic supply

Helium as a critical commodity

USA – Helium from Natural Gas


17 plants on helium pipeline 5 independent Average 0.2% He (often much higher) Stockpile allows “flywheel” helium management

Helium extraction • From natural gas

• Helium extracted before natural gas enters domestic supply

• From LNG production

• Helium extracted from separated gases during LNG refinement.

• As a primary product

• Extremely high He content → primary product. • USA, Canada: Weil Group Resources • Australia - Amadeus Basin???


Helium from Natural Gas


0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1935 1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005 2015

He

prod

uctio

n (B

CF)

World productionUS Production

Data source:USGS

Production dominated by US for a long time

LNG production: more sources of helium are commercially viable

Helium Price per MCF (thousand cubic feet)

Bureau of Land Management Crude Helium Price

www.blm.gov


$30.00

$40.00

$50.00

$60.00

$70.00

$80.00

$90.00

$100.00

1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016

How much helium?

Country Production 2014 Reserves USA 3700 140 000 Qatar 1400 NA

Algeria 900 65 000 Australia 200 NA Russia 180 61 000 Poland 100 900 Canada NA NA China NA NA

World (rounded) 6500 NA


Data: USGS Mineral Commodity Summary: Helium 2015. NA = not available

Estimated world resources: 1.13 TCF

Approximate values, in million cubic feet

Helium production in Australia


• BOC/Linde plant opened in 2010

• 25% domestic consumption, 75% export (when producing at full capacity)

• Natural gas field in Timor Sea

• Associated with Darwin LNG

BOC/Linde

Global production ≈ 7000 MMCF yearly

(7 BCF; 14 billion helium balloons)


Wells with helium data: 439

From Petroleum Wells Database Accessible through GA frontpage www.ga.gov.au


Data coverage


Data coverage

Amadeus

Georgina

Bonaparte

Browse McArthur

Mean helium abundance, by basin


Mean He, %

100

1000

10000

100000

0.01 0.1 1

Volu

me

raw

gas

inpu

t (M

MC

F/ye

ar)

%He in raw gas

How much helium to be economic?


Qatar II Qatar I

Russia Algeria

Poland

Darwin, Australia

Helium extraction as a by-product of LNG production (potential)


Bonaparte 0.05% He Browse 0.05% He Carnarvon 0.02% He Amadeus >4% He

Mean helium abundance, by basin


Mean He, %

Browse

Bonaparte

Phone: +61 2 6249 9560 Web: www.ga.gov.au Email: [email protected] Address: Cnr Jerrabomberra Avenue and Hindmarsh Drive, Symonston ACT 2609 Postal Address: GPO Box 378, Canberra ACT 2601

Record and data release: coming soon!

Critical commodities report: http://www.ga.gov.au/corporate_data/76526/76526.pdf

Petroleum Wells Database Accessible through GA frontpage www.ga.gov.au

http://www.ga.gov.au/corporate_data/76526/76526.pdf



helium as a critical commodity: opportunities in the

Documents