Helium prices soar amid Middle East war, spot prices double

Financial News, New York City – by correspondent Lee Byung-chul.As airstrikes by the United States of America and Israel on Iran escalate the war in the Middle East, helium prices are surging. Disruptions to Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) production in Qatar have reduced helium supply, triggering warning signs for supply chains in advanced industries such as semiconductors and medical equipment.
According to Reuters on the 12th (local time), spot helium prices have doubled since the Middle East crisis began. Some market segments are already signaling price increases of around 50%, and analysts warn that if supply disruptions persist, prices could climb back to about $2,000 per 1,000 MCF (thousand cubic feet), a level seen during past shortages.
The main driver of the helium price spike is the production disruption in Qatar.
Qatar, the world’s second-largest LNG exporter, has recently halted operations at LNG production facilities with an annual capacity of 77 million tons and declared force majeure on shipments.
Helium is produced as a byproduct in the process of refining natural gas. As a result, when LNG output declines, helium supply falls at the same time.
Saad Sherida al-Kaabi, Qatar’s energy minister, told the Financial Times (FT) in an interview that even if the war ended immediately, it would take “weeks to months” for supplies to return to normal.
Qatar is a key supplier in the global helium market. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), Qatar produced about 63 million cubic meters of helium in 2025, accounting for roughly one-third of global supply.
Market research firm IndexBox estimated that if the current situation continues, around 5.2 million cubic meters of helium could disappear from the market every month.
Helium is an essential industrial gas used in advanced sectors such as semiconductor manufacturing, medical Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) equipment, and space rocket launches.
In semiconductor fabrication in particular, helium is used for wafer cooling and maintaining vacuum conditions in equipment. Because helium is a chemically stable inert gas, there are virtually no materials that can fully replace it.
Helium is transported in liquid form, but it naturally boils off over time, making long-term storage difficult. Industry estimates generally put the distribution window for liquid helium at around 45 days.
Given these characteristics, when supply tightens, available volumes are allocated by priority across different industries.
Phil Kornbluth, head of Kornbluth Helium Consulting, said that medical MRI equipment and the rocket industry are likely to receive most of the helium they need, while the semiconductor sector could see its supply cut to about 95% of normal levels.
By contrast, lower-priority uses such as welding, diving equipment, and party balloons may face much steeper supply reductions.


pride@fnnews.com Reporter Lee Byung-chul Reporter