Helium resources accumulation regulations and their development prospects in China

Abstract

Helium is a globally scarce strategic resource that is relevant to national economies and the development of high-tech industries, and China primarily depends on imported helium for its industrial applications. Therefore, there is an urgent demand for clarifying helium formation and enrichment patterns, searching for helium-rich fields, and realizing China's helium resource inventory and development potential. This article analyzes the reservoir characteristics and accumulation conditions of typical helium-rich fields in China, and clarifying the origin and source of helium as well as the main controlling factors of helium enrichment. It was recognized that helium in natural gas in China mainly comes from crustal sources. Relatively shallow buried ancient U–Th-rich granite basement or intrusion, large and stable ancient uplift or submarine formed in the early period, good overburden of huge thick paste-salt rock or mudstone cover, and channels connecting the basement and reservoir, were the main controlling factors of helium enrichment. Four types of helium-rich gas reservoirs, namely helium-rich conventional gas, helium-rich shale gas, helium-rich non-hydrocarbon gas, and helium-rich water-soluble gas, have been modeled and predicted to be helium-rich favorable exploration areas. Based on this analysis, the prospect of helium resource development in China has been analyzed. It was proposed that the exploration of helium-rich fields and the comprehensive development and utilization of medium- and low-abundance helium resources are important ways to increase the domestic helium production in China in the future.