澳大利亚在停产三年后重新开启氦气生产。Gold Hydrogen公司在南澳大利亚约克半岛的Ramsay 1工地周末成功提取了氦气，这是自2023年达尔文生产工厂关闭以来澳洲首次恢复氦气生产[1]。全球氦气供应短缺的背景下，这一进展为该国重振氦气产业带来希望。
全球氦气市场面临严峻形势。约三分之一的全球氦气供应因伊朗导弹袭击卡塔尔Ras Laffan天然气工厂在3月份而被中断[1]。鉴于氦气在医疗领域的关键作用，Gold Hydrogen首席执行官Neil McDonald表示，"MRI无法在没有氦气的情况下运作"[1]。氦气作为世界第二轻的气体，一旦从地下提取就会浮入大气中，成为有限资源[1]。该公司计划在18个月内实现商业供应[1]，Ramsay项目所覆盖的约克半岛租约区域面积达75,000平方公里[1]。
Gold Hydrogen has successfully extracted helium at the Ramsay 1 site on South Australia's Yorke Peninsula, marking the first helium production in Australia since the Darwin production facility closed in 2023 [1]. The extraction represents a significant development as global helium supplies face unprecedented pressure following Iranian missile strikes on Qatar's Ras Laffan natural gas facility in March, which disrupted approximately one-third of worldwide helium supply [1].
The company plans to commence commercial supply within 18 months [1]. Gold Hydrogen Chief Executive Neil McDonald emphasized the critical nature of helium, stating that "MRI machines cannot operate without helium" [1]. The Ramsay project operates across a 75,000-square-kilometre leasehold area on the Yorke Peninsula [1]. Helium is the world's second-lightest gas and, once extracted from underground, floats into the atmosphere, making it a finite resource [1].