Helium field with 1.1 billion cubic feet of reserves begins operation in Canada
North American Helium began operating a helium purification facility at the Stuart Valley field in south-western Saskatchewan, Canada, on 20 September 2026. The field's reserves are estimated at about 1.1 billion cubic feet, and its output of up to 73 million cubic feet a year is sold to major global industrial gas distributors under long-term contracts. The company said the facility will process 12 million cubic feet of raw gas per day, with a stable production pattern for up to nine years.
Why it matters: The start-up adds supply outside the Strait of Hormuz, which the source says carries about 35% of global helium trade, making it a case of energy security and supply-chain diversification for semiconductor and defence inputs.