Temporary supply shock or Helium Shortage 5.0?

The global helium market could be on the brink of a new shortage cycle as supply disruptions in Qatar and Russian export controls threaten to overturn more than two years of market oversupply, according to helium consultant Phil Kornbluth.

Speaking at the gasworld Specialty Gas Summit, Kornbluth said the industry faces a critical question over whether current disruptions prove to be a temporary supply shock or the beginning of ‘Helium Shortage 5.0.’

He explained that the helium market had been in oversupply since early 2024, with effective global production capacity of around 7.3 billion cubic feet (bcf) per year against demand of around 6.2 bcf.