Helium Shortage has ended ...

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

https://physicstoday.scitation.org/do/10.1063/PT.6.2.20200605a/full/

 

[OTF]

Prices still high though, and probably a temporary coronavirus situation.

 

[rjack321]

"prices continue upwards" yeah the days of $0.50 cf are long gone

 

[Tassi Devil Diver]

Did not notice any shortage here in Australia, price has been about the same for the past 5 years.

 

[rjack321]

Did not notice any shortage here in Australia, price has been about the same for the past 5 years.

Basically USA prices were out of wack with the rest of the world for decades. Now that they are closer to the global market rate we complain - loudly.

 

[p_kos]

Basically USA prices were out of wack with the rest of the world for decades. Now that they are closer to the global market rate we complain - loudly.

Yup, when I was in Florida in February helium was 85 cents/cf. In Canada the price was $2/cf (USD) at that time and is even higher now.

 

[Robbyg]

Basically USA prices were out of wack with the rest of the world for decades. Now that they are closer to the global market rate we complain - loudly.

I think the reason that the price was so low in the USA was because we had the largest helium reserve in the world. If I remember correctly it was shortly after WW1 that they setup massive reserves to fuel Airships for the future needs of the military.
When Airships fell out of favor the Helium was sold on the market for decades at a highly reduced price. The spike in prices was due to the reserves running low and some political decisions to off load the Natural Gas mines and refineries that separated out the helium. I saw on the news that they say that Helium is now running out and so I guess it's very susceptible to global market swings.

 

[rjack321]

I think the reason that the price was so low in the USA was because we had the largest helium reserve in the world. If I remember correctly it was shortly after WW1 that they setup massive reserves to fuel Airships for the future needs of the military.
When Airships fell out of favor the Helium was sold on the market for decades at a highly reduced price. The spike in prices was due to the reserves running low and some political decisions to off load the Natural Gas mines and refineries that separated out the helium. I saw on the news that they say that Helium is now running out and so I guess it's very susceptible to global market swings.

Kind of
National Helium Reserve - Wikipedia

The helium reserve has been slowly drawing down since the 1990s. Except when Congress realized maybe that wasnt entirely in the national interest to completely privatize it because helium is used for far more than dirigibles now.

 

[JohnN]

Party balloons

 

[KevinNM]

More superconducting magnets.