Rich fields can contain more than 0 5 per cent of helium while the standard content rate is 0 1 0 5 per cent. Helium is relatively rare on earth.

How Is Helium Gas Obtained

Over time large quantities of helium become trapped in underground caverns.

How do we obtain helium. The result of this reaction are alpha particles containing two neutrons and protons. Helium is a component of natural gas so methods for extracting helium from the earth are the same methods used in mining natural gas. The helium that is present today has been mostly created by the natural radioactive decay of heavy radioactive elements.

That cooking process releases the helium and if you re in the right part of the world that helium is trapped by the sediments in the same rifting process working with helium one an exploration company the team realised this process is occurring now in the east african rift valley which crosses nine african countries including tanzania. Drilling for natural gas a drill rig is used to drill for natural gas or methane. It can also be produced by liquefying air and separating the component gases.

The volume fraction of this substance in the gas is only up to 0 055 per cent. Some radioactive elements such as uranium release alpha particles when they decay. Natural gas contains methane and other hydrocarbons which are the principal sources of heat energy when natural gas is burned.

Helium is abundant in space where it s produced as a product of the fusion reaction inside stars such as the sun. Deep down inside the earth where these radioactive decays take place the alpha particles capture electrons and become helium. Helium is generated underground by the radioactive decay of heavy elements such as uranium and thorium.

Helium is usually produced as a byproduct of natural gas processing. This type of helium gas referred to as helum 4 is produced naturally underground through the radioactive decomposition and decay of certain elements such as uranium and thorium. All gas fields with helium content under 0 1 per cent are qualified as poor fields.

The naturally occurring helium on earth though comes from a different sort of process. That s a tough job but some. Part of the radiation from these elements consists of alpha particles which form the nuclei of helium atoms.

It is then trapped with natural gas and. There are much better sources of helium underground. The orenburg oil and gas condensate field ogcf is fairly poor in helium.

Pressure underground is greater so when gas is located it rises to the top. Deep inside the earth radioactive elements such as uranium and thorium decay and turn into other elements. Fortunately for those who want to be able to make their voices sound silly helium isn t just made by smashing atoms together.

It s also made by splitting atoms apart.