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Agreed. This doesn't seem to be a long-term solution, unless they're relying on continually discovering new helium wells.
by SamBam 4y ago
Agreed. This doesn't seem to be a long-term solution, unless they're relying on continually discovering new helium wells.
- krisoft 4y agoThere are no "helium wells". Helium is extracted as a byproduct of natural gas extraction. Meaning it comes up mixed with natural gas and if the production facilities have the right equipment can be separated from it.
- bombcar 4y agoI mean a hole in the ground that has helium in it is kind of a helium well, even if it's polluted with natural gas.
- njarboe 4y agoNot all natural gas wells have the same percentage of helium in them[1]. "Helium wells" generally refer to wells that have a high amount of Helium relative to others. Those are the ones you would extract Helium from first. [1] https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/609e8fe1d34ea221ce3f39e6 https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/609e8fe1d34ea221ce3...
- SamBam 4y agoYes, sorry, short-hand. Natural gas comes out of wells, and with it helium. Since we're focussing on the helium, I called it a helium well. Indeed, sometimes helium itself is the target, not the natural gas: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-found-huge-reservoir-much-needed-helium-180959592/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-found-h...