Helium resource global supply and demand: Geopolitical supply risk analysis

Helium is considered a critical raw material by the USA, EU, Canada, and other jurisdictions, yet it has been overlooked in the resource sustainability literature, especially compared to metals and other extracted resources. Refined from hydrocarbon natural gas, 2019 global helium production was approximately 27,000 tonnes (160 million cubic meters). Produced mostly in USA, Qatar, and Algeria, it is transported as a cryogenic liquid and logistics are time-constrained. Using the Geopolitical Supply Risk (GeoPolRisk) method, we evaluated the supply risk of helium for ten importing economies from 2015 to 2019. Results show helium imports have a relatively high GeoPolRisk index (0.15–0.30), consistent with its classification as “critical”. Three distinct global regions (East Asia, Europe, and the Americas) each show a pattern of supply and variations in GeoPolRisk, depending on specific trade. Given growing use, particularly in East Asia, future challenges in supply and supply risk are highlighted.