Where does the world's helium come from?

Helium is the second-most common element in the universe; in our solar system it is mostly on the sun. The helium found on Earth was created over millions of years by the decay of metals and elements underground. The United States uses half of the world's known supply of helium. read more

Helium is a "remarkable gas," says Michael Harper at Red Orbit, used to make everything from telescopes to MRIs run smoother. And when it's time to unwind, we pump helium into party balloons, or inhale it so we can speak in silly, squeaky voices. The trouble is, we're using so much helium that we're exhausting the world's supply, fast. read more

By 2013, increases in helium production in Qatar (under the company RasGas managed by Air Liquide) had increased Qatar's fraction of world helium production to 25%, and made it the second largest exporter after the United States. read more

Helium Hotspot. Although helium is the second most abundant element in the universe, most of it in the Earth's atmosphere bleeds off into space. Helium used for industrial purposes is a byproduct of natural gas production, and the Texas Panhandle is the United States' helium capital. read more