The Ohio Geological Society

THURSDAY, April 11th, 2019

Lunch at 11:30, talk at 12:30 pm

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Columbus-Worthington
175 Hutchinson Avenue, Columbus, OH 43235

SMaRTS Strategies for Mitigating the Critical Strategic Helium Shortage: Ohio Opportunities?

Tom Darrah, The Ohio State University

Global helium demand has increased significantly in the last 25 years in response to its increased usage in the medical, electronic, nanotechnology, defense, and research sectors. Although demand has increased steadily, the termination of the US Strategic Helium Reserve in recent years has led to significant uncertainty in the global helium market and dramatic increases in helium prices. Helium, which is produced as a byproduct of oil and natural gas production, is now considered a strategic national resource. Here, I will review the basics of the helium markets, helium petroleum geology, noble gas geochemistry of unconventional producing units in the Appalachian Basin, and provide a high level view of the helium prospects in Ohio.

Tom Darrah, Associate Professor of Earth Sciences and Associate Direct of the Center for Energy Research, Training and Innovation (CERTAIN).

Tom Darrah and his team are focused on three primary areas of research: 1-determining the geological processes that control the migration of fluids (e.g., water, natural gas, oil, carbon dioxide, helium) in the Earth’s crust and mantle; 2- developing geochemical techniques that constrain and improve unconventional energy exploration and extraction; 3- applying traditional isotope geochemistry to evaluate the potential impacts of energy extraction on the environment and human health. Dr. Darrah has received funding from the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Health, the Petroleum Research Fund, and the National Children’s Study. At The Ohio State University, he is establishing the Water, Energy, and Life Laboratory (WELL) in the School of Earth Sciences. This facility includes a state of the art noble gas isotope ratio mass spectrometer, gas chromatographs, and cryogenic laser ablation ICP-MS instrumentation.