Helium, Grade-A

Helium production and consumption

For those not involved in one of the industries in which helium is an input, the term may conjure images of party balloons. But, helium is used in a variety of industrial applications. In the United States its end users break down in the following categories: 32% for cryogenic applications; 18% for pressurizing and purging applications; 13% is used for welding; 18% for controlled atmospheres; 4% for leak detection; 2% for breathing mixtures and the remaining 13% for other applications, like party balloons.

Today’s market size is the estimated value of domestically extracted grade-A helium in 2010. The graphic shows production and apparent consumption figures for a period of 30 years, from 1980 to 2010. Apparent consumption is a calculated figure based on production, plus imports, less exports plus or minus change in stock.

Geographic reference: United States
Year: 2010
Market size: $730 million
Source: “Helium Statistics and Information,” part of a series of reports on different minerals and commodities produced by the U.S. Geological Survey and available online here.
Original source: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)

3 thoughts on “Helium, Grade-A

  1. Helium was the very first subject on which I did research and wrote in my now seemingly endless career — and it please me to see it here, like an old friend. Still going strong, I see. The importance of Helium in our economy? Is that turn down in consumption a sign of a weak economy? I wonder…

  2. It is interesting that helium production and consumption have been falling in the United States throughout the 2000s, suggesting a shift that goes beyond the recent recession. I’ll bet if we looked into it we’d find that helium extraction is up in China…

    Of course, helium also reminds me of A Hostage for Hinterland.

    Monique
    [One of the editors]

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