Helium discharge tube shaped like the element's atomic symbol

Helium is the chemical element with atomic number 2 and an atomic weight of 4.002602, which is represented by the symbol He. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, inert, monatomic gas that heads the noble gas group in the periodic table. Its boiling and melting points are the lowest among the elements and it exists only as a gas except in extreme conditions.

Helium is the second lightest element and is the second most abundant element in the observable universe, being present at about 24% of the total elemental mass, which is more than 12 times the mass of all the heavier elements combined. Its abundance is similar to this figure in our own Sun and in Jupiter. This is due to the very high binding energy (per nucleon) of helium-4 with respect to the next three elements after helium. This helium-4 binding energy also accounts for its commonality as a product in both nuclear fusion and radioactive decay. Most helium in the universe is helium-4, and is believed to have been formed during the Big Bang. Some new helium is being created currently as a result of the nuclear fusion of hydrogen in stars.

Helium is named for the Greek God of the Sun, Helios. It was first detected as an unknown yellow spectral line signature in sunlight during a solar eclipse in 1868 by French astronomer Jules Janssen. Janssen is jointly credited with detecting the element along with Norman Lockyer during the solar eclipse of 1868, and Lockyer was the first to propose that the line was due to a new element, which he named. The formal discovery of the element was made in 1895 by two Swedish chemists, Per Teodor Cleve and Nils Abraham Langlet, who found helium emanating from the uranium ore cleveite. In 1903, large reserves of helium were found in natural gas fields in parts of the United States, which is by far the largest supplier of the gas today.

Helium is used in cryogenics (its largest single use, absorbing about a quarter of production), particularly in the cooling of superconducting magnets, with the main commercial application being in MRI scanners. Helium's other industrial uses—as a pressurizing and purge gas, as a protective atmosphere for arc welding and in processes such as growing crystals to make silicon wafers—account for half of the gas produced. A well-known but minor use is as a lifting gas in balloons and airships. As with any gas with differing density from air, inhaling a small volume of helium temporarily changes the timbre and quality of the human voice. In scientific research, the behavior of the two fluid phases of helium-4 (helium I and helium II), is important to researchers studying quantum mechanics (in particular the property of superfluidity) and to those looking at the phenomena, such as superconductivity, that temperatures near absolute zero produce in matter.

On Earth, the lightness of helium has caused its evaporation from the gas and dust cloud from which the planet condensed, and it is thus relatively rare—0.00052% by volume in the atmosphere. Most terrestrial helium present today is created by the natural radioactive decay of heavy radioactive elements (thorium and uranium), as the alpha particles emitted by such decays consist of helium-4 nuclei. This radiogenic helium is trapped with natural gas in concentrations up to 7% by volume, from which it is extracted commercially by a low-temperature separation process called fractional distillation.

Helium is the least reactive noble gas after neon and thus the second least reactive of all elements;[37] it is inert and monatomic in all standard conditions. Because of helium's relatively low molar (atomic) mass, its thermal conductivity, specific heat, and sound speed in the gas phase are all greater than any other gas except hydrogen. For similar reasons, and also due to the small size of helium atoms, helium's diffusion rate through solids is three times that of air and around 65% that of hydrogen.

Esprit Associates is one of the leading consultancies on industrial gas, market research and business development.

Esprit Associates will be providing timing reports on the global industrial gas business sectors, return to this page often or signup to receive information of when new documents are available.

"What are the biggest challenges for the industrial gas industry in 2012?"

A survey of industrial gas experts about the challenges and key actions for maintaing profitable growth in 2012

"Reducing your hydrogen costs in uncertain financial times - Support from Esprit to significantly reduce your costs and often to create a win-win situation with your supplier"

Industrial users of hydrogen have two basic choices, they can either produce the hydrogen themselves, the “make” option, or buy it from a third party supplier, the “buy” option.

"Selecting a Helium Supplier"

Support from Esprit in Selecting and Getting the Best from Your Helium Supplier.

Esprit offers support to Purchasing Managers, Production Managers, and other key decision makers for whom helium is a critical raw material in their production process or service offering.

"Industrial Gases - Country & Regional Forecasts 2011-2016"

This new, Multi-Client model offered by Esprit is more sophisticated than many previous models and takes into account changes in power and natural gas pricing by region, captive capacity by sector and announced investments and closures by the industry in addition to changes in macroeconomics.

Selecting a Helium Supplier

Support from Esprit in Selecting and Getting the Best from Your Helium Supplier.

Support from Esprit in Selecting and Getting the Best from Your Helium Supplier

Esprit offers support to Purchasing Managers, Production Managers, and other key decision makers for whom helium is a critical raw material in their production process or service offering.

If you are such a person and are concerned whether you are getting the best deal from your current helium supplier, or whether another helium supplier could provide a lower overall cost of ownership, Esprit can help.

Scope Of The Report

Key Issues in Helium Supply

Future Trends & Issues - A Global Multi Client Study 2011

As a by product of natural gas extraction, helium is highly dependent on external influences for its supply. Industrial gas companies carefully match supply to demand in order to maximise profitability; production is dependent on the demand for natural gas; and sources are located increasingly in difficult regions of the world.

“Helium – Future Trends and Issues” is an essential tool for anyone interested in acquiring a thorough understanding of the helium industry and its dynamics and is particularly relevant to companies that rely on a dependable supply of helium for their operations and / or for whom helium represents a major cost.

Companies interested in developing a position in the helium supply chain in order to capitalise on the recent increase in helium’s value, such as prospective producers, will also find this study an excellent introduction to the business.

Scope Of The Report

New Forecasting Model

1st April 2011

New forecasting model announced covering industrial gas revenues in 90 countries through 2015.

The forecasts are broken down into Tier 1 and other companies; onsite, bulk and cylinder sales; all major gases and 15 industrial segments.

It will provide a choice of headline forecasts, including natural gas and power effects, or underlying forecasts. Output is in actual US$ but can be made available in local currencies and constant or actual US dollars and Euros.

For further information contact

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Helium in the 21st Century

1st September 2010

As a by product of natural gas extraction, helium is highly dependent on external influences for its supply.

Industrial gas companies carefully match supply to demand in order to maximise profitability; production is dependent on the demand for natural gas; and sources are located increasingly in difficult regions of the world.

In the 18 months before the 2008 recession, demand for helium across its range of applications was such that the current installed capacity was insufficient to meet that demand, resulting in substantial price increases and supply shortages. The 2008 recession caused a decrease in demand resulting in an improvement in the supply : demand balance.

• What was learned from the shortages of 2006-2007?
• What new applications will consume helium?
• What is the projected growth rate for helium and is there sufficient installed capacity to cope?
• How sensitive is helium to price/volume elasticity?

“Helium – Future Trends and Issues” is an essential tool for anyone interested in acquiring a thorough understanding of the helium industry and its dynamics and is particularly relevant to companies that rely on a dependable supply of helium for their operations and / or for whom helium represents a major cost.

Companies interested in developing a position in the helium supply chain in order to capitalise on the recent increase in helium’s value, such as prospective producers, will also find this study an excellent introduction to the business.

For more information contact:

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Out in Front 2010

26th April 2010

Launched by Josef David

What is it?

Esprit Associates are experts with more than 20 years experience of the Tier 1 International & Global Industrial Gas Companies such as Linde, Air Products, Air Liquide and Praxair.

We offer our relevant experience and business competence to medium sized and local Tier 2 and Tier 3 companies worldwide.

The benefit?

Small and Medium sized companies are usually more customer focused and faster and more flexible in meeting customer needs but often lack the strategic and technical competences of the Tier 1 companies.

Esprit Associates can support such companies and help them sustain their competitive advantage in their local markets.

How do we proceed?

Our senior experts, who have been selected based on your specific needs, will work with you and your senior management team to analyse:

• Your position in your current markets
• Your specific strengths, weaknesses, opportunites and threats versus
  1. - Your end use segments
  2. - Your main competitors
  3. - Your region
• Joint development of an OUT IN FRONT 2010+ for Your Company

Remember, our experts are professionals in your industry and not all-purpose management consultants.

For further information contact:

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The Industrial Gas Business is the supply of technical gases by one of three supply modes;

• On-site and pipeline,
• Bulk - (liquids and tube-trailer compressed gases)
• Cylinder or packaged gases.

It excludes gases used primarily for heating, such as natural gas and LPG, except where these are used for cutting and welding or supplied at very high purity for chemical or other use.

The defining characteristic of the Industrial Gas business is that whilst the cost of such gases in the final product is often small, the absence of the gas generally inhibits production.

The Industrial Gas Business is thus a service industry focused on the reliability and availability of the supply to end-users.

Cost Management

However, Industrial Gas Companies realise that costs can really only be managed by production and distribution expertise for any supply mode. Therefore, a successful Industrial Gas Company manages its costs by supply mode or product line but manages its customers and applications technologies by market sector.

In the case of larger volume users there is also an option to own an industrial gas plant and "make" their own gases, rather than the "buy" option of onsite or pipeline supply.

Most of the major Industrial Gas Companies will sell such plant to an end-user as will a large number of independent equipment suppliers.

The "make" versus "buy" decision is often at the heart of most new large volume industrial gas requirements. Plants owned by end-users are generally referred to as "captive".

Industrial Gas Companies view the conversion of "captive" capacity to "onsite" as a low risk opportunity to increase market penetration or market share.

There are six broad categories of gas

Industrial

The basic gases used in "industrial" applications, often in large quantities:

• Oxygen, nitrogen and argon - the "air gases"
• Acetylene and acetylene substitutes
• Carbon dioxide
• Hydrogen
• Carbon monoxide
• Air and "artificial" air

Medical

Gases intended for use in the medical field:

• Special grades of oxygen or breathing air
• Nitrous oxide
• Special grade carbon dioxide
• Breathing mixtures
• Blood analysis mixtures

Special

Rare, uncommon or speciality gases used in small quantities and delivered with strict quality assurance:

• Helium
• Xenon, Krypton, Neon - the noble gases
• Lighting mixtures
• Ultra-pure electronics gases
• Electronics dopants such as silane and arsine
• Calibration gas mixtures
• Research grade gas mixtures
• Sterilisation and fumigation gases

Fuel Gases

Gases such as LPG or its components from some companies but generally not considered when used for heating

• Butane
• Propane
• Cutting mixtures

Refrigerants

Gases used in the refrigeration cycle in cooling technologies are supplied by some companies.

Fire fighting gases are supplied by some companies

• Carbon dioxide
• Halon substitutes