Helium - how much is enough
The helium conservation program is not paying for itself, leaving the government with an underground storage reservoir with enough helium to supply its needs for the next 140 years at current rates of use. The Helium Act of 1960 recognized that helium is a nonrenewable resource, but may have relied on dubious forecasts of depletion without government intervention. Helium's unique properties give it many space-age uses, which fed anxious forecasts of a supply-demand imbalance. When the government's price for helium reached $35 per 1000 cubic feet, users turned to such alternatives as hydrogen and arson. The author reviews the current market and supplies of helium, and concludes that the government should cut its losses by renting or selling the storage facility and stocks, leaving only enough for emergency use. 2 references.
- Research Organization:
- Political Economy Research Center, Bozeman, MT
- OSTI ID:
- 5796083
- Journal Information:
- Regulation; (United States), Journal Name: Regulation; (United States)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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