Renergen Boosts Liquid Helium Output in South Africa

Renergen, a producer of liquid helium (LHe) and liquefied natural gas (LNG), has officially launched commercial production at its LHe facility in South Africa. The company has started accumulating liquid helium for customer distribution, with ISO containers scheduled for filling later this month. This milestone comes after Renergen assumed full operational control of the plant from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), which had exited South Africa. Since July 2024, the company has been producing LHe, initially using it to cool vacuum-jacketed pipelines and inline storage tanks to an ultra-low temperature of around 4.5K (-268°C). This ensures that helium remains in liquid form during storage.

“We are thrilled to have reached this significant milestone despite the challenges we faced,” said Stefano Marani, CEO of Renergen. “Our team has shown remarkable resilience in managing and operating the facility under challenging conditions and extreme pressure, enabling us to now begin LHe sales to our customers.”

During the commissioning phase, Renergen collaborated with a U.S.-based helium specialist to optimize the plant’s performance. The successful partnership helped the company fine-tune the complex operations required for producing liquid helium.

Globally, only a few countries dominate liquid helium production, including the U.S., Qatar, Russia, and Algeria, which together contribute the majority of the world’s supply. South Africa, a newcomer in the market, has entered the scene thanks to the discovery of helium-rich natural gas fields. Renergen’s Virginia Gas Project has begun generating helium, although current volumes are modest compared to the leading global producers. As the project scales up, production is expected to increase, with projections indicating that South Africa could contribute up to 5% of the world’s helium supply by 2026.

This development not only strengthens South Africa’s position in the global helium market but also highlights Renergen’s growing capabilities in managing and optimizing complex energy projects. As the Virginia Gas Project expands, it could play a key role in meeting the rising global demand for helium, a critical resource in industries ranging from healthcare to technology.

Renergen is South Africa's pioneering onshore natural gas explorer and the first integrated producer of both liquefied helium (LHe) and liquefied natural gas (LNG). These products are derived from the natural gas found within the extensive proven reserves that support the Virginia Gas Project. The project encompasses the liquefaction of natural gas into LNG, the extraction and separation of helium from natural gas, and the subsequent liquefaction of helium into 99.999% pure liquid helium.