A Ballooning Crisis: A Ballooning Crisis: Technical and Policy Technical and Policy Recommendations Recommendations

on the Helium on the Helium ShortageShortage

Emma Motl Emma Motl Honorary WISE intern 2012Honorary WISE intern 2012

August 1, 2012August 1, 2012

Helium Shortage Helium Shortage OverviewOverview

Helium shortage existed since 2006Helium shortage existed since 2006

Helium has numerous applicationsHelium has numerous applications

Federal Helium Reserve Program has Federal Helium Reserve Program has existed since the 1960sexisted since the 1960s

Current legislation may determine the Current legislation may determine the future of this finite resourcefuture of this finite resource

Helium HistoryHelium HistoryInterest began in WWI for defenseInterest began in WWI for defense

Continued use of Helium after WWI lead to Continued use of Helium after WWI lead to the formation of the Bush Dome the formation of the Bush Dome Reservoir/Federal Helium Reserve ProgramReservoir/Federal Helium Reserve Program

People lost interest in helium towards the People lost interest in helium towards the end of the 1900’s, but it has since regained end of the 1900’s, but it has since regained importance for science and technologyimportance for science and technology

Federal Helium Reserve will be liquidated in Federal Helium Reserve will be liquidated in 2013 without updated legislation2013 without updated legislation11

1Selling the Nation’s Helium Reserve. Washington, DC. National Academies, 2010.

Uniqueness of Uniqueness of HeliumHelium

Liquefies at lower temperature than all Liquefies at lower temperature than all other elementsother elements66

Chemically inertChemically inert

Highest specific heat capacity of any Highest specific heat capacity of any gaseous elementgaseous element

Invisible- cannot be rendered Invisible- cannot be rendered radioactiveradioactive77

6Energy Critical Elements. Washington, DC. APS, MRS, 2009. 7Mark Haynes’ Statement. House Helium Hearing. 7/20/12

Uses of HeliumUses of Helium

Reisch, M.S. Helium Shortage Affecting Instrument Users To Extend Into 2013.. <http://cen.acs.org/articles/90/i29/Helium-Shortage-Affecting-Instrument-Users.html>.

Helium Helium ApplicationsApplications

Daily Life Applications:Daily Life Applications:

LCD screen manufacturing-used to make LCD screen manufacturing-used to make sleeve for glass tube in fiber opticssleeve for glass tube in fiber optics

Welding for specialty metals- chemical Welding for specialty metals- chemical inertness and high heat capacityinertness and high heat capacity

Processing of semiconductor phone Processing of semiconductor phone chips- cryogenic use and to flush the chips- cryogenic use and to flush the vesselsvessels

Selling the Nation’s Helium Reserve. Washington, DC. National Academies, 2010.

Helium in Helium in HealthcareHealthcare

Helium used as coolant for magnet in Helium used as coolant for magnet in Magnet Resonance Imaging (MRI) Magnet Resonance Imaging (MRI) technologytechnology

~75,000 MRI scans/day, ~20,000 jobs at ~75,000 MRI scans/day, ~20,000 jobs at GE Healthcare alone are MRI specificGE Healthcare alone are MRI specific88

MRI machines require regular MRI machines require regular maintenance and helium top-offsmaintenance and helium top-offs

During shortage, many patients will wait During shortage, many patients will wait for necessary scansfor necessary scans

8Raush’s statement. House Helium Hearing. 7/20/12.

Helium in DefenseHelium in DefenseDefense is where it all began and Defense is where it all began and continues helium’s use as a lifting gascontinues helium’s use as a lifting gas

Safer than hydrogen as it is less Safer than hydrogen as it is less flammableflammable

Previously used for air travel, currently Previously used for air travel, currently used for observation in blimps and used for observation in blimps and balloonsballoons

Helium-3 is used in neutron detectors at Helium-3 is used in neutron detectors at bordersborders

The Federal Helium The Federal Helium ReserveReserve

A reservoir of crude helium with 4 A reservoir of crude helium with 4 refiners attachedrefiners attached

Provides 50% domestic and 35% globalProvides 50% domestic and 35% global22

Will cease being self-sufficient in 2013 Will cease being self-sufficient in 2013 due to 1996 Helium Privatization Actdue to 1996 Helium Privatization Act33

2Selling the Nation’s Helium Reserve. Washington, DC. National Academies, 2010. 3Meeting with GE Healthcare. 7/17/2012Picture courtesy of blm.gov

DOI-BLM. <http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/energy/helium/federal_helium_program.html>.

LegislationLegislation1996 Helium Privatization Act1996 Helium Privatization Act44

• Based on debt to National TreasuryBased on debt to National Treasury

• Required sell-off of helium at flat rateRequired sell-off of helium at flat rate

• Price mandated by government, not Price mandated by government, not marketmarket

• Did not accurately predict future uses of Did not accurately predict future uses of heliumhelium

4Selling the Nation’s Helium Reserve. Washington, DC. National Academies, 2010.Photo courtesy of eshopinflatables.com

Upcoming Upcoming LegislationLegislation

2012 Helium Stewardship Act2012 Helium Stewardship Act55

• Allows Federal Helium Reserve to remain Allows Federal Helium Reserve to remain self-sustainable without government self-sustainable without government appropriationsappropriations

• Government phase out- no longer regulates Government phase out- no longer regulates pricesprices

• Slow phase out will allow for time to form Slow phase out will allow for time to form new mines and keep market from a monopolynew mines and keep market from a monopoly

• Government shall conduct surveys on helium Government shall conduct surveys on helium uses and reuse after two yearsuses and reuse after two years

5S.2374 Helium Stewardship Act. Senator Bingaman.

Helium’s FutureHelium’s FutureAs applications increase the Federal As applications increase the Federal Helium Reserve must remain Helium Reserve must remain operational- swift passage of S.2374operational- swift passage of S.2374

House companion billHouse companion bill

New plants should be createdNew plants should be created

Reuse technology should be encouraged Reuse technology should be encouraged and mandated for large companiesand mandated for large companies

Possible areas for public awarenessPossible areas for public awareness

ReferencesReferencesAPS POPA & MRS. APS POPA & MRS. Energy Critical Elements: Securing Materials for Emerging Energy Critical Elements: Securing Materials for Emerging

TechnologiesTechnologies. Washington, DC: APS, 2009. Print.. Washington, DC: APS, 2009. Print.

Haynes, Mark. Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. Haynes, Mark. Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. Hearing, Hearing, Helium: Supply Shortages Impacting our Economy, National Defense and Helium: Supply Shortages Impacting our Economy, National Defense and ManufacturingManufacturing. 112. 112thth Cong. 2 Cong. 2ndnd sess. House. 20 July 2012. Statement. sess. House. 20 July 2012. Statement.

Marcella, Orrin- GE Healthcare. Personal Interview. 17 July 2012.Marcella, Orrin- GE Healthcare. Personal Interview. 17 July 2012.

National Research Council. National Research Council. Selling the Nation’s Helium Reserve. Selling the Nation’s Helium Reserve. Washington, Washington, DC: National Academies, 2010. Print.DC: National Academies, 2010. Print.

Rauch, Tom. Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. Rauch, Tom. Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. Hearing, Helium: Hearing, Helium: Supply Shortages Impacting our Economy, National Defense and Supply Shortages Impacting our Economy, National Defense and ManufacturingManufacturing. 112. 112thth Cong. 2 Cong. 2ndnd sess. House. 20 July 2012. Statement. sess. House. 20 July 2012. Statement.

Reisch, Mark. “Helium Shortage to Affect Instrument Users to Extend into Reisch, Mark. “Helium Shortage to Affect Instrument Users to Extend into 2013,” 2013,” Chemical and Engineering NewsChemical and Engineering News 16 July 2012. Accessed: 1 Aug. 16 July 2012. Accessed: 1 Aug. 2012.2012.

United States. Cong. Senate. Senator Bingaman (D-NM). S. 2374 2012 Helium United States. Cong. Senate. Senator Bingaman (D-NM). S. 2374 2012 Helium Stewardship Act. Stewardship Act.

AcknowledgementAcknowledgementss

WISE Interns and Sponsoring SocietiesWISE Interns and Sponsoring Societies

ASME staffASME staff

FMR Bill BehnFMR Bill Behn

Erica WissolikErica Wissolik

John Buydos- Library of CongressJohn Buydos- Library of Congress

Jodi Lieberman- APSJodi Lieberman- APS

Kelly Kryc- Committee of Energy and Natural ResourcesKelly Kryc- Committee of Energy and Natural Resources

Orrin Marcella- GE HealthcareOrrin Marcella- GE Healthcare