Not all industrial gases are viewed the same way.
Oxygen, nitrogen, argon, and carbon dioxide are produced every day from the air around us, making them widely available for countless industrial applications. Helium, however, is different.
It is one of the few industrial gases that cannot be manufactured economically at commercial scale. It takes millions of years to form naturally beneath the Earth’s surface, exists in only a handful of commercially viable reserves, and once released into the atmosphere, it eventually escapes into space.
These characteristics have transformed helium from a specialty industrial gas into a strategically important global resource.
Today, industries ranging from healthcare and semiconductor manufacturing to aerospace, scientific research, and quantum computing depend on reliable access to high-purity helium. According to IDTechEx, global helium demand is expected to nearly double by 2035 as these sectors continue to expand.
So, what is a use for helium that makes it so valuable? Why are governments and industries placing increasing importance on securing helium supply? And what makes helium different from every other industrial gas?
Let’s take a closer look.
It Starts With Helium’s Extraordinary Properties
Before exploring the application of helium, it’s important to understand why industries rely on it in the first place.
Helium possesses a unique combination of physical properties that very few elements can match.
It is:
- Chemically inert and non-reactive
- Non-flammable and non-toxic
- Extremely light
- Highly thermally conductive
- Able to remain liquid at 4.2 Kelvin (-269°C) – the lowest boiling point of any element
Individually, each of these properties is valuable.
Together, they make helium indispensable across numerous high-technology industries.
Now let’s see how these characteristics translate into real-world applications.
Healthcare: Keeping MRI Systems Running
One of the most well-known uses of element helium is in healthcare.
Modern MRI machines rely on powerful superconducting magnets that must remain at extremely low temperatures to function correctly.
Liquid helium provides this cooling.
Without it:
- MRI magnets lose superconductivity.
- Imaging systems stop functioning.
- Hospitals face costly downtime.
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), there are more than 40,000 MRI scanners operating worldwide, all of which depend – directly or indirectly – on helium-based cooling technologies.
This alone explains why healthcare organizations closely monitor helium availability.
But hospitals are only one part of the picture.
Semiconductor Manufacturing: Precision at the Atomic Scale
Modern semiconductor fabrication is one of the most demanding manufacturing processes in the world.
A single advanced chip may contain tens of billions of transistors built on features measured in nanometres.
Maintaining this level of precision requires several applications of helium, including:
- Wafer backside cooling
- Precision leak detection
- Helium carrier gas applications in analytical instruments
- Ultra-clean manufacturing environments
Even microscopic contamination can reduce wafer yields or compromise chip performance.
As demand for AI processors, electric vehicles, and high-performance computing continues to rise, helium has become increasingly important to the semiconductor industry.
This is one reason many analysts now describe helium as a strategic resource rather than simply an industrial gas.
Aerospace: Reliability Above Everything Else
When rockets launch into space, there is very little room for error.
Helium plays several critical roles in aerospace operations because it is chemically inert, lightweight, and stable under extreme conditions.
Common applications include:
- Pressurizing rocket fuel tanks
- Purging fuel systems
- Leak testing propulsion equipment
- Supporting spacecraft testing
Because helium does not react with fuels or oxidizers, it provides an additional layer of operational safety during launch preparation.
Few gases can perform these tasks as effectively.
Scientific Research Depends on It Too
Many of the world’s most advanced laboratories also depend on helium.
Researchers use liquid helium to study phenomena that only occur at temperatures close to absolute zero.
These include:
- Superconductivity
- Quantum mechanics
- Particle physics
- Materials science
- Cryogenic engineering
Facilities such as CERN’s Large Hadron Collider use approximately 120 tonnes of liquid helium to cool thousands of superconducting magnets.
Source: https://home.cern/science/engineering/cryogenics-low-temperatures-high-performance
Without helium, many of these experiments would simply not be possible.
Why Supply Has Become Just as Important as Demand
Understanding what is a use for helium is only part of the story.
The bigger question today is whether enough helium will be available to meet future demand.
Unlike many industrial gases, helium production is concentrated in relatively few regions.
Historically, much of the world’s supply has come from:
- United States
- Qatar
- Algeria
- Russia
This geographic concentration means production outages, geopolitical tensions, infrastructure disruptions, or maintenance shutdowns can quickly affect global availability.
Recent helium shortages demonstrated how vulnerable the supply chain can become when even one major production source experiences disruption.
As industries become increasingly dependent on helium, supply resilience has become just as important as production capacity.
North America Is Becoming Increasingly Important
One of the biggest shifts taking place today is the growth of helium production across North America.
Regions such as Saskatchewan and Alberta are attracting significant investment due to their helium-rich reserves and relatively low-carbon production potential.
These developments are helping:
- Diversify global supply
- Reduce dependence on traditional producing regions
- Improve long-term sourcing stability
- Strengthen supply chain resilience
Rather than relying on a small number of production hubs, the industry is gradually moving toward a more geographically balanced supply network.
This shift is expected to play an increasingly important role over the coming decade.
More Than a Commodity—A Strategic Resource
Not every industrial gas receives the same level of strategic attention.
Helium does because it combines three characteristics that rarely exist together:
| Characteristic | Why It Matters |
| Finite resource | Cannot be replaced or manufactured economically |
| Critical applications | Supports healthcare, electronics, aerospace, and research |
| Limited production | Supply depends on relatively few producing regions |
This combination explains why governments, manufacturers, and research institutions increasingly view helium as a strategic resource rather than simply another industrial gas.
Why Reliability Is Becoming Part of the Conversation
As industries become more dependent on helium, expectations are changing.
Organizations are no longer evaluating suppliers solely on product availability. Increasingly, they want confidence in long-term sourcing strategies, consistent purity, dependable logistics, and technical expertise.
At AirLife, we’ve seen this shift first-hand. Conversations with customers today often begin with helium applications but quickly move toward broader questions around supply resilience, purification standards, and future availability. As helium becomes more strategically important across industries, building dependable supply partnerships is becoming just as important as securing the gas itself.
Conclusion
For many years, people associated helium with party balloons.
Today, its role is far more significant.
From cooling MRI systems and enabling semiconductor manufacturing to supporting aerospace missions and advancing scientific research, the application of helium extends across some of the world’s most critical industries.
Understanding what is a use for helium also means understanding why this remarkable element has become strategically important. Its unique physical properties, finite availability, and growing demand have elevated helium from a specialty gas to a resource that underpins modern innovation.
As industries continue to evolve, ensuring reliable access to high-purity helium will remain essential—not just for keeping operations running, but for enabling the technologies that shape the future.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why is helium considered a strategic gas?
Helium is considered strategic because it is a finite resource with unique properties that make it essential for healthcare, semiconductor manufacturing, aerospace, scientific research, and cryogenic applications.
2. What is a use for helium in healthcare?
One of the most important uses is cooling superconducting magnets in MRI systems, allowing them to operate continuously and produce high-quality medical images.
3. Can helium be replaced by another gas?
For some applications, alternatives exist. However, many cryogenic, superconducting, and leak detection applications still require helium because of its unique physical properties.
4. Why are helium supply chains receiving more attention?
Growing demand, limited production regions, and periodic supply shortages have highlighted the importance of diversified sourcing and long-term supply reliability.
5. Who are helium gas manufacturers?
Helium gas manufacturers and suppliers recover, purify, liquefy, package, and distribute helium for industries such as healthcare, electronics, aerospace, research, and manufacturing, ensuring it meets the purity standards required for each application.
