Unprecedented Helium Shortage Could Send Prices Sky-High


Worth 100x greater than pure gasoline, the shale increase has taken on a unique approach for exploration and manufacturing, with the important stage of helium provides igniting a land rush that would decide the way forward for innovation itself.

The bulk of the world’s helium reserves are present in pure gasoline fields, which signifies that these fields now have double the potential–and double the curiosity from a nationwide safety perspective.

Non-renewable and irreplaceable, helium is a important aspect in exhausting drives, supercomputing, scientific analysis, area journey, and even medical MRIs.

Supply is now at a important stage, and the Russian struggle on Ukraine is compounding the provision crunch, stripping us of extra international helium assets because the pure gasoline it’s extracted with is hurriedly shipped off to Europe to stave off a disaster with out stripping and liquifying the helium.

For North America, which till just lately loved a secure provide of helium by means of the Federal Helium Reserve in Amarillo, Texas, there is a chance for anybody who can deliver helium again house.

In our view, the benefit right here goes to Total Helium (TSX.V:TOH; OTC: TTLHF) the proprietor of a big helium play within the Kansas-Oklahoma panhandle that has already began producing and enjoys a profitable offtake settlement with one of many greatest members of the helium oligopoly”–the $160-billion behemoth, Linde Plc (NYSE:LIN).

Total Helium’s wildcatter crew jumped on the helium prospects within the largest U.S. gasoline subject earlier than others noticed the potential provide squeeze looming.

Now, it’s not solely began producing, however it’s additionally able to promote, and it’s increasing its helium holdings, quick, with an eye fixed to grabbing as a lot market share as it may towards the backdrop of a serious helium scarcity that has seen costs upwards of $500 Mcf–once more, greater than 100x the worth of pure gasoline.

First to market could be the greatest beneficiary of a helium increase. Right now, our choose is Total Helium.

Here are 5 causes to maintain a detailed eye on Total Helium proper now:

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#1 Hugoton: Why This Massive Gas Field Is Back on Everyone’s Radar

So far, Total Helium (TSX.V:TOH; OTC: TTLHF) has amassed roughly 115,000 acres of leases available at Hugoton, the biggest gasoline subject within the United States. Half of that acreage is within the type of farmout agreements with Scout Energy, one of many largest producers within the basin.

This land has confirmed helium concentrations …

And Total Helium is focusing on 70 billion cubic ft of helium right here, together with 8.5 trillion cubic ft of produced gasoline.

#2 The Wildcatters Surprising Everyone from Africa to North America

Total Helium introduced new know-how into Hugoton whereas everybody else gave the impression to be distracted by the non-conventional alternatives; in different phrases, the shale increase.

After getting on the straightforward pure gasoline in Hugoton traditionally, to not point out some 300 BCF of helium, the shale increase drew consideration away from this huge subject. Even although typical, its large remaining assets had been too costly to extract because of the excessive water content material. That water has to go someplace–and it has to take action economically.

Total Helium, backed by Craig Steinke of Reconnaissance Energy Africa (Recon Africa), was up for the problem. This wildcatter has a status for going the place nobody else is paying consideration and drumming up large discoveries and even larger alternatives. It was small-cap Recon Africa, in any case, that went on a super-sized expedition to Namibia and got here again with the invention of a working petroleum system within the big Kavango Basin. That could find yourself being the final large onshore oil discovery on the planet, and now, with Total Helium, Steinke is as soon as once more backing a tiny firm that’s aiming large.

Putting the appropriate know-how in the appropriate place and proper earlier than a provide squeeze–that’s Steinke’s modus operandi.

The proper know-how is all the time a matter of conserving prices down. Total Helium’s reply to Hugoton’s water drawback is a de-watering tech that works greatest on large zones. For each ten producing wells, the corporate intends to drill solely a single salt-water disposal effectively. Those are some economics that buyers can deal with once they think about the Linde downstream partnership deal, the hovering worth of helium, and the extra upside potential right here.

#3 Already Producing and Ready to Hit the Market

We assume this could possibly be one of many quickest manufacturing performs buyers have seen in a very long time.

The estimate is that Total Helium (TSX.V:TOH; OTC: TTLHF) may produce over 27,000 Mcf from every effectively.

After drilling and finishing its first two wells by January this 12 months, Total Helium has already began producing. On March fifteenth it geared as much as hit the market with its first helium and one in every of its upside choices–methane.

This helium is within the pipeline and can possible hit Linde’s processing plant any day now, pending remaining processing agreements.

The settlement with Linde is a large vote of confidence for buyers. Linde has made pre-payment for Total Helium’s future helium manufacturing and superior $950,000 previous to the primary drill, and one other $950,000 upon its completion.

And it was all achieved at prices that we predict make Total Helium’s margins fairly enticing. Drilling completion prices are available in at about $600,000, and the corporate’s web from 300 Mcf may end in a payout in as little as 18 months. A payout over this in need of a time interval is exceptional within the shale business.

*RPS Confident Person’s Report P50 Case

With Total Helium’s de-watering course of, the corporate can make the most of low drilling and completion prices as a result of Hugoton is a shallow gasoline play. Costs can be saved down as a result of Total Helium doesn’t need to construct its personal processing services or transport infrastructure. It’s all there, and the settlement with big Linde could be the good important infrastructure setup.

#4 Plans to Lock Up Loads of Helium Land

So what comes subsequent?

Since Hugoton is taken into account as one of the vital essential sources of helium in North America, Total Helium is trying to lock up as a lot land as potential in a deliberate enlargement of as much as 1.65-million-acres.

That may give this tiny firm as much as 19X its present helium land place.

This quarter, they’re planning to increase their developmental drilling and completion program, add extra to the leasing marketing campaign, and work out subsurface storage rights with big Linde.

This isn’t nearly producing helium and getting it to market …

There’s an modern storage alternative right here, as effectively, and it presents potential upside that would add a number of layers to this play.

They plan to show Hugoton into the following main American reserve.

Total Helium (TSX.V:TOH; OTC: TTLHF) is collaborating with a multinational industrial gasoline firm to ascertain underground Helium storage rivaling the successor of the U.S. Federal Helium Reserve. Total Helium will function the power with 50-50% possession.

Helium storage is important as a result of this lightest of parts within the universe is non-renewable and as soon as it’s launched into the air, it’s misplaced within the ambiance, eternally.

And it doesn’t plan to only retailer helium, both …

It intends to retailer hydrogen, one other of the universe’s lightest parts. The hydrogen market is ready to hit $300 billion by 2027, and storage right here, too, can be important in sustaining provide.

#5 Qatar, Algeria, Australia … and Kansas

For a tiny firm like Total Helium to lock up a take care of a member of the helium oligopoly is the form of offtake deal that often takes years for junior corporations to realize.

Linde isn’t only a helium provider. It’s rather more than that. It enjoys a 40% international market share for helium, and it has operations on three continents, in Qatar, Algeria, Australia, and the United States. Its helium plant in Kansas is without doubt one of the greatest on the planet.

Beyond what’s to return for Total Helium within the type of what could possibly be essentially the most advantageous downstream settlement a junior helium firm could ever search, it’s already locked in for over $2.2 million consequently, in each present and upcoming money circulate.

It additionally seems to have achieved wonders for Total Helium’s capex: This junior has the benefit of not having to spend tens of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} increase infrastructure akin to pipelines and processing crops.

What Total Helium has achieved to date is forward-thinking in regards to the helium demand and provide equation.

This crew may have a aggressive benefit and is forward of the competitors as a result of it didn’t await the helium provide squeeze to get important after the Federal Helium Reserve introduced it was winding down and auctioning off all of the remaining helium, turning the uncommon gasoline right into a free market sport that different pure gasoline producers could not have been following.

It didn’t wait, both, till Russia launched a struggle on Ukraine and we noticed our first international helium provides suspended, in Algeria.

Instead, this junior firm began scooping up potential helium land and appeared to resolve Hugoton’s water challenges with new know-how. That acquired Linde’s consideration, and now that the primary helium is already within the pipeline, with a proposed enlargement underway, it may get everybody else’s consideration, too.

In this play for a pure useful resource now important to American nationwide curiosity, the way forward for large information, supercomputing, fiber optic communications, and scientific analysis at giant, Total Helium could also be years forward of the competitors, and as quickly as that first helium hits the market, it could now not be pushing forward off the radar.

America is determined for home-grown helium, and Total Helium will ship new provide, first.

Tech: The Industry Desperate For New Helium Supply

From semiconductors to the web as we all know it, helium performs a significant position within the tech world.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (NYSE:TSM) has a prolonged historical past and has helped form many applied sciences we depend on in the present day. It’s concentrate on excessive requirements and its try for excellence has led them into changing into one in every of Apple Inc.’s main suppliers, serving to help Apple throughout a world semiconductor scarcity.

The semiconductor business is a very aggressive business and solely 5 corporations on the planet personal chip-making services, making Taiwan Semiconductor a standout within the business.. Indeed, many main prime semiconductor corporations are “fabless,” which means they solely design the chips however depend on different corporations, often known as foundries, to truly make the chips. The shift to outsourcing has been having an enormous impact on structural modifications and associated capability as a result of corporations that minimize orders within the early days of the pandemic have been compelled to go to the again of the road.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. is a key participant to look at in each the helium scarcity and the semiconductor scarcity. As the world’s largest chipmaker, it wants helium to outlive. And with a semiconductor provide squeeze looming, it may stand to profit large when Big Tech comes knocking.

Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) is without doubt one of the world’s most famous chipmakers. It has been round because the late 1950’s, when it was based by Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore who first coined their portmanteau name- Integrated Electronics. Intel provides processors for pc methods akin to desktops laptop computer servers tablets cellphones (together with smartphones)and extra; additionally they make motherboard chipsets that join these units collectively so you should use your processor successfully whereas gaining access to quick reminiscence too.

At its core, Intel is a chipmaker. And an enormous one at that. It’s additionally a frontrunner within the international semiconductor sport because of its investments in 65nm course of, a sophisticated node utilized in quantity CMOS semiconductor fabrication. Intel has manufactured semiconductors in Ireland since 1990, and has invested round $6 billion there on this time, however is starting to department out with new investments within the United States, as effectively.

Considering that helium is a important a part of the semiconductor and pc chip manufacturing course of, any outages or new discoveries may have an effect on chipmakers like Intel.

Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) is on the slicing fringe of the world of computing and graphics. It based over forty years in the past with a single mission: to advance know-how as quick it could possibly be invented. Since then, they’ve grow to be one of the vital relied upon manufacturers for processing energy – each at house by yourself PC or sport console; but additionally once you want excessive efficiency pc methods that may course of information rapidly sufficient possibly even reside video streaming the place each millisecond counts.

Advanced Media Devices isn’t simply constructing house computer systems, both. AMD is also constructing CPUs for use in huge information facilities, the sort supporting the likes of Microsoft’s Azure cloud-based workstations and desktops and rather more. And its GPUs are offering the pace, safety, and scalability to maintain these information facilities performing on the stage wanted to push trendy tech into the longer term.

The semiconductor and microprocessor industries are huge, representing a whole bunch of billions of {dollars} in income, however regardless of its spot within the Big Tech elite, Advanced Micro Devices remains to be notably weak to helium provide chain considerations.

As AMD’s greatest competitor, Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) is one other firm that develops graphics processing models, or GPUs. Nvidia are frequently releasing new applied sciences to remain forward of the competitors and have a wonderful status for high quality. The firm additionally manufactures processors that energy many different units akin to cars, robots, and smartphones. These processors are sometimes used for synthetic intelligence methods like driverless automobiles or voice instructions on cellphones so we will count on Nvidia’s know-how to maintain getting extra superior over time.

Nvidia’s formidable improvements are clear in all areas of tech, from pc graphics and synthetic intelligence analysis which might be core to robots or future cities. It’s additionally pushing new applied sciences into the world with its enterprise server GPUs—even setting data. Thanks for being there after we wanted you most, Nvidia–and don’t be concerned: your {hardware} won’t go unsupported now that it has been so instrumental earlier than this level too.

With an increasing number of demand coming for semiconductors and new chip know-how hitting the market, corporations like Nvidia, AMD, Taiwan, Samsung and Intel are going to be a few of the greatest benefactors. They’re already well-known within the business, and this might simply be their time to essentially shine. But a looming helium scarcity may current plenty of issues for the booming tech giants.

IBM Corporation (NYSE:IBM), or International Business Machines Corporations, is a United States-based know-how firm. IBM focuses on growing and offering pc associated merchandise worldwide just like the automated teller machine (ATM), magnetic stripe card and far, rather more.

IBM is commonly thought of one of many main corporations in its tech realm, with an extended listing of innovations so far. And whereas this historical past definitely makes them a wonderful candidate when it comes time to discover new tendencies akin to blockchain know-how.

IBM’s blockchain platform, constructed on the open-source Hyperledger Fabric platform from the Linux Foundation helps corporations with all kinds of blockchain options together with instruments for the finance sector, provide chain transparency, and letters of assure. IBM’s blockchain platform even helps events develop their very own blockchain options by means of instructional instruments and customized help.

IBM isn’t new to the semiconductor business, both. In truth, it’s pushing the boundaries of what semiconductors can obtain. And it wouldn’t be potential with out helium. The overwhelming majority of chips are made with silicon which must undergo an in depth course of to create particular circuitry. Helium has a number of roles on this course of.

The Descartes Systems Group Inc. (TSX:DSG) is a Canadian multinational know-how firm specializing in logistics software program, provide chain administration software program, and cloud-based companies for logistics companies. Recently, Descartes introduced that it has efficiently deployed its superior capability matching resolution, Descartes MacroPoint Capacity Matching. The resolution offers larger visibility and transparency inside their community of carriers and brokers. This transfer may solidify the corporate as a key participant in transportation logistics which is essential-and-often-overlooked within the mitigation of rising carbon emissions.

Mogo Finance Technology Inc. (TSX:GO) is a brand new spin on unsecured credit score, which is a burgeoning sub-segment of FinTech. Providing mortgage administration, the flexibility to trace spending, stress-free mortgages, and even credit score rating monitoring, Mogo is on the forefront of a web based motion to help customers with their monetary wants.

Mogo’s software program analyzes debtors immediately and tremendously reduces the historically cumbersome underwriting course of for loans. It’s on-line solely, so there’s very low overhead and a ton of money to spend on advertising and marketing. Labeled as “the Uber of finance” by CNBC, Mogo is certainly turning heads. With rising membership development and income traces persevering with to enhance, and a platform which many banks have failed to supply, Mogo may effectively grow to be an acquisition goal within the close to future.

Other Resource Companies To Keep An Eye On

Lithium Americas Corp. (TSX:LAC) is one in every of America’s most crucial and promising pure-play lithium corporations. With two world-class lithium initiatives in Argentina and Nevada, Lithium Americas is well-positioned to trip the wave of rising lithium demand within the years to return. It’s already raised almost a billion {dollars} in fairness and debt, exhibiting that buyers have a ton of curiosity within the firm’s formidable plans.

Lithium America just isn’t wanting over the rising strain from buyers for accountable and sustainable mining, both. In truth, one in every of its main targets is to create a optimistic affect on society and the surroundings by means of its initiatives. This contains cleaner mining tech, robust office security practices, a spread of alternatives for workers, and robust relationships with native governments to make sure that not solely are its workers being taken care of however native communities, as effectively.

Celestica (TSX:CLS) is a key firm within the useful resource increase on account of is position as one of many prime producers of electronics in North America. Celestica’s wide selection of merchandise contains however just isn’t restricted to communications options, enterprise and cloud companies, aerospace and protection merchandise, renewable power, and even healthcare tech.

Due to its publicity to the renewable power market, Celestica’s future is tied hand-in-hand with the inexperienced power increase that’s sweeping the world in the mean time. It helps construct sensible and environment friendly merchandise that combine the newest in energy technology, conversion and administration know-how to ship smarter, extra environment friendly grid and off-grid purposes for the world’s main power tools producers and producers.

Maxar Technologies (TSX:MAXR) is without doubt one of the main area corporations on the planet, based almost 20 years in the past. Maxar has quite a lot of companies, together with satellite tv for pc improvement, area robotics, and earth observations. One of their most well-known merchandise is the Canadarm2 robotic arm for the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS has been operational since 1998 with greater than 100 missions so far. Maxar Technologies has had a historical past of partnering with NASA to take care of the ISS’s methods in addition to offering them with new applied sciences such because the Canadarm2 robotic arm. is a moon-bound tech inventory to regulate. While area agency focuses on satellite tv for pc and communication applied sciences, it is usually a producer of infrastructure required for in-orbit satellite tv for pc companies, Earth remark and extra.

More importantly, nevertheless, Maxar’s subsidiary, SSL, a designer and producer of satellites utilized by authorities and industrial enterprises, has pioneered analysis in electrical propulsion methods, lithium-ion energy methods and using superior composites on industrial satellites. These improvements are key as a result of they permit satellites to spend extra time in orbit, lowering prices and rising effectivity.

By. Michael Kern

**IMPORTANT! BY READING OUR CONTENT YOU EXPLICITLY AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY**

Forward-Looking Statements

This publication accommodates forward-looking info which is topic to quite a lot of dangers and uncertainties and different elements that would trigger precise occasions or outcomes to vary from these projected within the forward-looking statements. Forward wanting statements on this publication embrace that helium costs proceed to extend or stay at present ranges; that helium will stay or develop in significance for way forward for many alternative know-how purposes; that Total Helium (the “Company”) will be capable to proceed to efficiently probe for and produce helium, methane and/or pure from its exploration properties and that the Company will be capable to commercialize the manufacturing of any helium, methane and/or gasoline reserves discovered and recovered on its properties; that present know-how, together with the implementation of applicable water disposal methods, will permit the Company to efficiently discover and develop potential helium and/or gasoline reserves on the Company’s properties; that the Company will obtain its anticipated return on funding on drilled wells; that the Company will be capable to reduce the prices incurred in the course of the exploration and improvement course of; that the Company will be capable to retailer any recovered helium in its settlement with Linde; that the Company and Linde will be capable to develop a helium storage facility to interchange the U.S. federal helium reserve; that the U.S. federal helium can be auctioned off to personal buyers; that the Company will generate ongoing money circulate from its take care of Linde; that the Company will increase its potential helium land bundle as deliberate; and that administration of the Company can leverage expertise from different exploration initiatives to realize success. These forward-looking statements are topic to quite a lot of dangers and uncertainties and different elements that would trigger precise occasions or outcomes to vary materially from these projected within the forward-looking info. Risks that would change or forestall these statements from coming to fruition embrace that helium costs could not improve sooner or later and may very well lower for varied causes; that helium could also be changed with different assets such that its significance in know-how purposes could lower in future; that the Company could fail to efficiently proceed its exploration and manufacturing of helium, methane and/or pure from its exploration properties or that the Company is unable to commercialize the manufacturing of any helium, methane and/or gasoline reserves discovered or recovered on its properties; that present know-how could also be insufficient or value prohibitive for the Company to efficiently discover and develop potential helium and/or gasoline reserves on the Company’s properties; that the Company could not obtain a return on funding on drilled wells as anticipated or in any respect; that the Company’s exploration and improvement efforts, if any, could also be extra expensive than anticipated; that the Company could also be unable to leverage its manufacturing settlement with Linde for the storage of any helium it recovers and the Company could also be unable to develop a helium storage facility as anticipated or in any respect; that the Company could fail to generate money circulate from its take care of Linde; that the Company could also be unable to ship enough portions of helium to Linde as required below the settlement and that the settlement with Linde could in any other case not be accomplished or in any other case fulfilled; that administration of the Company could also be unable to leverage any of its expertise from different exploration initiatives; that the Company could also be unable to safe any vital financing to proceed its operations; that the Company could also be unable to increase its land bundle or that the extra space acquired could not include any industrial helium reserves; that the Company could also be unable to finance ongoing exploration and improvement efforts; and that the enterprise of the Company could finally fail for varied causes. The forward-looking info contained herein is given as of the date hereof and we assume no accountability to replace or revise such info to mirror new occasions or circumstances, besides as required by legislation.

DISCLAIMERS

This communication is for leisure functions solely. Never make investments purely primarily based on our communication. We haven’t been compensated by Total Helium however could sooner or later be compensated to conduct investor consciousness promoting and advertising and marketing for TSX.V:TOH. The info in our communications and on our web site has not been independently verified and isn’t assured to be appropriate. Price targets that we now have listed on this article are our opinions primarily based on restricted evaluation, however we aren’t skilled monetary analysts so worth targets are to not be relied on.

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ALWAYS DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH and seek the advice of with a licensed funding skilled earlier than investing. This communication shouldn’t be used as a foundation for making any funding.

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