Helium running out

Today, the U.S. alone produces 75 percent of the world’s helium. Nearly half of that total, or roughly 30 percent of the world’s helium supply, comes from the U.S. Federal Helium Reserve. That reserve is held in a huge natural underground reservoir near Amarillo called the Bush Dome.
Yet the American reserve is in danger. Between 10 and 12 billion cubic feet of recoverable helium are expected to remain in the reservoir by the end of 2014,
"At current production rates of about 2 billion cubic feet per year, the reservoir could continue to produce helium for five to six more years." But, he said, the computer modeling that predicts the amount of helium the reservoir will be able to produce, considering its complex geology, has determined that the reservoir production rates "will decline to approximately 1 billion cubic feet per year after 2014," he said. "As a result, the usable life of the reservoir will be extended to 2018 or perhaps even 2020."
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/med-tech/why-is-there-a-helium-shortage-10031229
 
Today, the U.S. alone produces 75 percent of the world’s helium. Nearly half of that total, or roughly 30 percent of the world’s helium supply, comes from the U.S. Federal Helium Reserve. That reserve is held in a huge natural underground reservoir near Amarillo called the Bush Dome.
Yet the American reserve is in danger. Between 10 and 12 billion cubic feet of recoverable helium are expected to remain in the reservoir by the end of 2014,
"At current production rates of about 2 billion cubic feet per year, the reservoir could continue to produce helium for five to six more years." But, he said, the computer modeling that predicts the amount of helium the reservoir will be able to produce, considering its complex geology, has determined that the reservoir production rates "will decline to approximately 1 billion cubic feet per year after 2014," he said. "As a result, the usable life of the reservoir will be extended to 2018 or perhaps even 2020."
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/med-tech/why-is-there-a-helium-shortage-10031229
US Congress acts to avert helium shortage
Sep 26, 2013
sorry it may or may not be running out.
 
The world is going to run out of helium by 2015.
FALSE
The U.S. government’s strategic stockpile will be largely sold off by 2015. The world still has tremendous unexploited helium reserves.
Helium price increases are the result of price gouging by suppliers who are making excessive profits.
FALSE
Despite the price increases, helium profitability is not much different from other gases. Helium profitability has recovered after a series of cost shocks and reduced margins earlier in the decade.
So what’s the up and coming product for helium usage and who is using it? There is actually a clue in this story. Find it if you can!
You won’t believe it when I tell you…it is flat screen monitors, TV’s and LCD’s!!
Asian countries producing LCD panels of any kind use helium in every single screen. Asia now accounts for 25% of all helium usage in the world today primarily because of LCD technology.
http://www.heliumscarcity.com/?p=888
 
I was wondering what we might be using it for now since the military hasn't much to do with blimps anymore. Would never have guessed it was for tvs and such.
 
I was wondering what we might be using it for now since the military hasn't much to do with blimps anymore. Would never have guessed it was for tvs and such.

In terms of demand, its value as a coolant and its inertness seem to be amongst its most valuable properties. Its use as a coolant in MRI scanners seems to top the list on most sites I've looked at.

I have found that it is used in the electronics industry but I'm struggling to find any other sites specifically mentioning LCD panels. I'm also a curious about Asian panels. I'd imagine Asia produce the most by far but "Asian countries producing LCD panels of any kind use helium in every single screen." seems to me to carry the implication that LCD panels made elsewhere in the world would not be using helium? Any pointers to more information?
 
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