Congress finds it hard to let Federal Helium Program run out of gas

[Eugene]

Source: Washington Post

Congress finds it hard to let Federal Helium Program run out of gas

By David A. Fahrenthold, Published: April 26

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The Federal Helium Program — left over from the age of zeppelins and an infamous symbol of Washington’s inability to cut what it no longer needs — will be terminated.

Unless it isn’t.

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The problem is that the private sector has not done what some politicians predicted it would — step into a role that government was giving up. The Federal Helium Program sells vast amounts of the gas to U.S. companies that use it in everything from party balloons to MRI machines.

If the government stops, no one else is ready. There are fears of shortages.

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Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal-helium-program-how-temporary-becomes-forever/2013/04/26/80ef1148-adb8-11e2-98ef-d1072ed3cc27_story.html

[NV Whino]

1. Tap into Washington

Plenty of gas and hot air there.

[Cirque du So-What]

2. Yes, but...

unlike helium, there's nothing 'noble' about THAT gas.

[NCarolinawoman]

3. LOL. Good one!

[TxDemChem]

5. There is already a shortage

Our lab uses helium in our gas chromatographs and for months, we have been scrambling to obtain enough helium to keep the lab going. Considering how expensive it is to capture helium, I can see why the private sector has not jumped in. This may be something that only the government can handle since no one is willing to do so. I say we switch over to nitrogen. It will mean a lot of changes, but at least we can easily obtain it. I don't know how MRI machines work or if they can use a different carrier gas.

[backscatter712]

7. Liquid nitrogen only works for certain types of superconductors...

Looking around, I don't think the technology for MRIs built with high-temperature superconductors (the kind that only need liquid nitrogen, not liquid helium) is there yet. I certainly hope that technology advances - it would make MRIs far cheaper.

[TxDemChem]

8. That would be wonderful

Hopefully the MRI manufacturers are looking into alternative designs to allow for other gases. Thanks for kicking some knowledge.

[backscatter712]

6. That program is not useless.

Personally, I think party balloons are a reckless waste of a finite natural resource.

But then we've got MRIs, various types of scientific research, etc. that validly need the stuff.

[Addison]

9. No more Mickey Mouse voices, people