Parallel Paths in Resource Exploration
Clean hydrogen is not the only gas that researchers Chris Ballentine and John Gluyas have their attention on. Ballentine and fellow co-author John Gluyas from Durham University published a paper in 2023 on how to find hidden helium reserves. Helium is an essential gas for cooling superconductors, operating MRI machines, and supporting space exploration. However, with global helium supplies dwindling, finding renewable and economically feasible hidden reserves has become essential to meet demands.
Ballentine’s and Gluyas’s approach adapts petroleum exploration principles to identify source rocks rich in uranium and thorium. These elements decay over billions of years, producing helium that accumulates in ancient, stable geological formations called cratons. The team’s work has already led to discoveries in places like the Rukwa Basin in Tanzania, where wells have revealed high concentrations of helium with minimal hydrocarbon contamination.
Yellowstone National Park in the United States has shown promise in having helium reserves. The park’s geothermal activity and billion-year-old rocks create ideal conditions for helium production and release. Studies suggest that up to 73 tons of helium escape annually from Yellowstone’s hot springs and vents. Researchers have identified similar conditions in India’s Bakreswar-Tantloi region and Tanzania’s Rukwa Rift, marking both as priority targets for further exploration.
