Helium supply seen 'enough' — for now
- Oxford Economics assessed that helium supply disruptions pose risks to chipmaking and medical imaging. - Their analysis concludes strong reserves and alternative sources should shield semiconductor output for the near term. - The note warns helium is a niche dependency that could still disrupt production if reserves or supply routes falter. (oxfordeconomics.com)
Helium looks like a manageable risk for chipmakers in the near term, even after fresh supply disruptions pushed the gas back into focus. (oxfordeconomics.com) Oxford Economics said on April 23 that semiconductor production should not be “severely disrupted” for now because alternative sources, reserves and recycling can cushion the shock. The firm added that chipmakers can outbid many other users for high-end helium if supplies tighten further. (oxfordeconomics.com) Helium is a small-volume input with an outsized role in chip plants. A 2023 ASME paper described helium fed into the gap beneath a wafer to stabilize temperature during plasma etching, one of the core steps used to carve circuits onto silicon. (asmedigitalcollection.asme.org) The gas also matters outside chipmaking because it turns liquid only near absolute zero, at about minus 269 degrees Celsius. Siemens Healthineers says that extreme cold is what lets magnetic resonance imaging scanners keep their superconducting magnets operating. (siemens-healthineers.com) That overlap puts fabs and hospitals in the same supply chain. The U.S. Geological Survey said helium use in 2025 broke down with 17% going to controlled atmospheres, fiber optics and semiconductors, and 15% going to magnetic resonance imaging. (pubs.usgs.gov) The supply base is concentrated, which is why any disruption travels fast. The U.S. Geological Survey said U.S. helium imports from 2020 through 2023 came 40% from Qatar, 36% from Canada, 10% from Algeria and 4% from Russia. (pubs.usgs.gov) The United States still has a meaningful domestic industry. The U.S. Geological Survey said 2025 sales of Grade-A and gaseous helium were estimated at 81 million cubic meters, with nine plants producing crude helium, 11 producing gaseous helium and five producing Grade-A helium. (pubs.usgs.gov) Chipmakers’ ability to ride out a squeeze depends partly on where helium is used in the production line. ASML says extreme ultraviolet lithography is already central to mass-producing the most advanced chips, and those leading-edge fabs are the ones most likely to pay up to protect output. (asml.com) Medical imaging companies are also trying to cut their dependence before the next shortage hits. Philips said on April 20 that its BlueSeal systems use 7 liters of helium versus about 1,500 liters for a traditional magnetic resonance system, reducing refill needs and exposure to supply shocks. (philips.co.uk) The near-term message is not that helium stopped mattering. It is that a niche gas with a concentrated supply chain still has enough backup sources, storage and workarounds to keep chips flowing — until the next break in that chain lasts longer. (oxfordeconomics.com)
