Time to ban helium balloons and open circuit trimix diving?

[dwhitlow]

Senate Passes Helium Bill In Effort To Avert Shortage

Given the limited helium supplies, isn't it time we took steps to prevent wasteful use of such a finite and irreplaceable resource?

[j_b]

Re: Time to ban helium balloons and open circuit trimix diving?

Helium in balloons definitely. I can't think of anything more wasteful to use it for.
Fortunately it's a by product of fracking apparently so as that catches on, we'll be fine

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

[Big Matt]

Helium in balloons definitely. I can't think of anything more wasteful to use it for.
Fortunately it's a by product of fracking apparently so as that catches on, we'll be fine

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

breathe in. breathe out. sounds pretty wasteful to me

[notdeadyet]

That's what happens when you put the most irresponsible nation on the planet in charge of one of the most finite resources.

The morons flogged off their reserve at rock bottom prices, screwed up their processing infrastructure and it became cheaper for drilling companies to piss helium into the air than extract it because the government skewed the market and took away the means of handling the gas. They'd be bombing someone so stupid if the shoe was on the other foot.

Luckily most European helium is Algerian but the more the Yanks cock about with their reserve the more it's going to fook that up.

[AxeMan]

"The source for the real numbers is, for an element, always the US Geological Survey. Their helium note tells us that current global consumption is around 180 million cubic metres a year. There’s something like 50 billion cubic metres lying around out there. That’s a near 300 year supply at current usage rates."

What Great Helium Shortage? - Forbes

[Big Matt]

"The source for the real numbers is, for an element, always the US Geological Survey. Their helium note tells us that current global consumption is around 180 million cubic metres a year. There’s something like 50 billion cubic metres lying around out there. That’s a near 300 year supply at current usage rates."

What Great Helium Shortage? - Forbes

that's a relief. big breath in. big breath out. and it means i can buy my daughter a helium balloon for her birthday without feeling guilty about it too

[BTS]

I figure there is enough to outlast my diving life....

[chas49]

"The source for the real numbers is, for an element, always the US Geological Survey. Their helium note tells us that current global consumption is around 180 million cubic metres a year. There’s something like 50 billion cubic metres lying around out there. That’s a near 300 year supply at current usage rates."

What Great Helium Shortage? - Forbes

Also from the "helium note":

Future production from these facilities is expected to be sufficient to meet worldwide helium demand for the next 5 years; however, to ensure future helium supplies, more exploration will be needed.

and

Hydrogen is also being investigated as a substitute for helium in deep-sea diving applications below 1,000 feet.

[Chrisch]

Helium "scares" do the rounds annually.

Some dick trying to cross the Atlantic with the stuff last week......

[Chris Thomas]

Helium "scares" do the rounds annually.

Some dick trying to cross the Atlantic with the stuff last week......

That's my next hobby once I've dived some of the great 100m+ wrecks. Cluster ballooning looks well cool!

[nickb]

I figure there is enough to outlast my diving life....

....at Gary's house