The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has accepted Messer Corporation’s bid for the federal helium system, and Messer will conduct the necessary regulatory review to acquire the asset. Elena Skvortsova, president and CEO of Messer Americas, said that Messer is fully committed to the future success of the helium system, which has been proven by Messer’s safe and reliable operation of the system’s Cliffside plant since May 2022. Under the Helium Stewardship Act of 2013, the U.S. General Services Administration auctioned the federal helium system on January 25, 2024, and Messer placed two bids with a total value of $423.35 million. The helium system includes helium stored in caverns in Amarillo, Texas, the Cliffside field, wells and gathering systems, 423 miles of crude helium pipeline and other operating assets. The takeover bid will eventually be subject to antitrust review by the U.S. Department of Justice. Messer will cooperate with regulatory agencies in multiple states to comply with local laws and regulations. Skvortsova added that Messer intends to be a responsible operator and steward of this important asset for decades to come, continuing to serve the many industries that rely on this vital resource. Air Products filed a lawsuit in the Northern District Court of Texas on September 7, 2023, requesting to prohibit the U.S. Department of the Interior, BLM and GSA from continuing to sell federal helium systems. Analysts pointed out that some private companies, which collectively store large amounts of crude helium at the BLM and operate four helium refineries that rely on the Federal Helium Administration system to deliver feed gas, have been trying to lobby for a delay through the Compressed Gas Association (CGA) or cancel the asset sale. The sale of helium assets may have an impact on their ability to transport crude helium from helium storage, future costs and the ability to operate helium refining facilities.
