Overview
- QatarGas, which halted LNG and related output after late‑February strikes, declared force majeure on March 2 and later confirmed damage that cut annual helium exports by about 14%.
- Spot prices for scarce cargoes have more than doubled, and U.S. supplier Airgas invoked force majeure, rationed deliveries to roughly half for at least one customer, and added a surcharge.
- South Korea reports inventories that should cover the first half, with Samsung and SK Hynix said to hold four to six months of helium and officials pursuing extra volumes from U.S. producers.
- Transport constraints are biting because liquid helium boils off after about 35–48 days in transit and hundreds of specialized containers are stranded near the Gulf.
- With Qatar supplying about a third of global helium and repairs projected to take years, suppliers are expected to prioritize chips and MRIs, which could push up costs and slow some AI hardware rollouts.