Page "Helium" Paragraph 19

For many years the United States produced over 90 % of commercially usable helium in the world, while extraction plants in Canada, Poland, Russia, and other nations produced the remainder.

In the mid-1990s, a new plant in Arzew, Algeria, producing 17 million cubic meters ( 600 million cubic feet ) began operation, with enough production to cover all of Europe's demand.

Meanwhile, by 2000, the consumption of helium within the U. S. had risen to above 15 million kg per year.

In 2004 – 2006, two additional plants, one in Ras Laffan, Qatar, and the other in Skikda, Algeria, were built, but as of early 2007, Ras Laffan is functioning at 50 %, and Skikda has yet to start up.

Algeria quickly became the second leading producer of helium.

Through this time, both helium consumption and the costs of producing helium increased.

In the 2002 to 2007 period helium prices doubled.