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View Full Version : Now this is a serious shortage, stock up



uscitizen
09-11-2006, 09:11 PM
Helium Shortage Could Be a Party Pooper

By THOMAS J. SHEERAN
Associated Press Writer


CLEVELAND (AP) -- This gas shortage won't hurt you at the pump, but you could find it a little deflating at your next party.

The world's supply of helium has taken a hit because of delays in getting plants on line, U.S. officials say. Suppliers of the lighter-than-air gas have raised prices, and some party-supply stores have had to cut back on their balloon business.

A key issue in the shortage involves contracts for helium from a Qatar plant and two in Algeria that been off line, said Hans Stuart, a spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. One overseas plant has been involved in lengthy maintenance and two are behind on construction schedules.

The BLM, which manages more than 400,000 square miles of public land, mostly in the West, provides more than one third of the world's crude helium, selling it to private plants for processing.


For full story goto:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/H/HELIUM_SHORTAGE?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

Why the heck would the BLM manage our heluim ?
I see a dangerous helium gap coming up :eek: