RE: Helium storage28 Aug 2025 12:41
@Kaeren. From a quick look--and a potential theory (and apols for discussing gex on here), there is no mention of LNG directly in their rns - and anything related to purification or gas separation is at the time/cost of the off-taker - but they may possibly share some of the pain subject to the contract arrangements. There is a reference to cryogenic purification of gaseous elements which if true, involves reducing the gas temperatures of each of the various gases until they change to a liquid and then they can remove that liquid from the overall mix, leaving them with only the gases that liquefy at even lower temperatures. For example Natural gas goes at minus 160C, nitrogen liquefies at about minus 190 and then Helium is minus 267, so you could cool everything down in stages to separate the various gases and then be left with the Helium and any other gas that has yet to liquefy. eg anything that liquefies a lower temp than He. The remaining He plus other trace elements could then be purified by some other chemical reaction to give say 98-99% purity - maybe similar to HEX PSC process. There may be some commercial benefit to tanker the liquefied LNG if they have enough of it which is perhaps where the reference to LNG comes from - as I said I have never looked as Gex so I'm not aware of what they may have discussed so pls check for yourself--I'm just offering a possible reason for the LNG reference-
Hex on the other hand have mainly Nitrogen 95+% with virtually no hydrocarbons plus very tiny amounts of He and other gases. The unwanted N2 can be sent straight to atmosphere through the PSC process as it is inert and 97% of the atmosphere is N2 in the first place. Hydrocarbons at Gex create another set of risks such as--venting (Environmentals dont like it and it can create explosive atmospheres) or flaring ( highly unpopular with the greens) or trying to save it and monetise it - either as LNG or pipe it away as gas-if they have the option.--I dunno lol. I'm just trying to give you a possible reason for the reference to LNG-- as I said I have never looked at Gex other than the most recent rns.