Weil revives helium industry in Saskatchewan with new processing facility
Weil Group Resources is constructing a $10-million helium processing facility in Saskatchewan, Canada, to supply refined, industrial-grade helium to markets throughout North America. The plant was designed and supplied by Germany’s Linde Group and is slated to come on stream in April.
The facility will purify inert gas from existing wells to a “Grade A” industrial helium product (99.999% purity) with a capacity exceeding 40 MMcf/annum of production. Global use of helium is about 6 Bcf/annum. Refined helium will be loaded into tube trailers and transported to customers in Canada and the U.S.
Saskatchewan’s Ministry of the Economy worked closely with Weil to advance the project, including navigating provincial regulatory and permitting processes and addressing any barriers.
Weil Group’s helium project is situated near Mankota, Saskatchewan, about 150 km southeast of Swift Current. Weil acquired and reentered the wells in 2013 and, after extensive testing, validated sufficient helium reserves for commissioning its facility. The southwest region of Saskatchewan has several wells with higher helium concentrations, which combined with their widespread distribution indicates the potential for further exploration and development.
The Saskatchewan plant is one of several helium exploration, development and processing projects Weil Group has, including those in Alberta and the U.S. that are at various stages of development. The facility will create several permanent jobs in operations.
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