Brian Zinchuk is editor and owner of Pipeline Online
Stewart Valley largest helium purification facility in Canada
North American Helium’s Stewart Valley purification facility. Photo by Brian Zinchuk
STEWART VALLEY, SK – For many years, North American Helium has quietly gone about its business, building up nearly the entirety of Saskatchewan’s current and growing helium production. Indeed, despite being in business for well over a decade, they had never even held a press conference.
All that changed on Oct. 15, when the usually reserved privately held company opened their doors at their newest helium purification facility – their eleventh – at Stewart Valley, Saskatchewan, north of Swift Current.
The site is just a few kilometres from the lip of the South Saskatchewan River Valley, with the northern horizon a panorama of the majestic valley. It was at this site, North American Helium, or NAH, found something special – a helium strike worthy of them going public about it. After drilling over 125 wells to date in southwest Saskatchewan, this location in particular was one to write home about. And a very large chunk of the Saskatchewan press corps showed up to do just that.
The show and tell came a month shy of five years since then-Minister of Energy and Resources Bronwyn Eyre announced the Saskatchewan Helium Action Plan. At that event, held at the Legislature in Regina, there was much talk about how Saskatchewan would aim at achieving 10 per cent of global helium supply, up from one per cent. And once the province achieved around 10 purification facilities, we would be approaching the point where a liquefaction facility in this province would become viable.
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Historical production
Saskatchewan has quietly long had small-scale helium production for several decades. There were four historical wells north of Swift Current that produced from 1963 to 1976. They were shut in because prices dropped. In 2014, Canadian Helium started producing from one well there, and has since moved to a second well, shutting in the first. In 2016, Weil Group started producing helium near Mankota, going so far as to set up a processing site. However, that site idled a few years later.
In 2016, North American Helium started drilling wells, initially northwest of Consul. First production began in July, 2020. From there its footprint expanded greatly, eastward to Mankota (where it eventually bought and reinvigorated Weil’s shut down facility, taking down the canvas cover and putting a solid roof over it). They kept plugging away, usually with one drilling rig, but occasionally two. And at times when the oilpatch in the region had dwindled to the point of not even having one rig drilling for oil, North American Helium was the company keeping a rig, and the southwest oilpatch, going.
Another company, Royal Helium, drilled several wells in the Climax, Ogema and Val Marie areas, but it never achieved commercial production from any of its wells in Saskatchewan. Royal was unsuccessful with their one purification facility in Alberta, and in a few years, went bankrupt in 2025.
Helium Evolution, another helium startup, partnered with NAH on several wells in the Mankota area, and continue to do so.
But for all intents and purposes, Saskatchewan’s growing helium industry is for the most part North American Helium. And as the press conference revealed, the company is ready for the next big step – liquefaction. More on that in a bit.
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Helium is critical
Deric Orton, NAH vice president of Land & Stakeholder Relations, started the event by saying, “Helium is an odorless, colorless, non-toxic, and chemically inert gas with unique physical properties. It has the lowest boiling point of any element and is used in medical and scientific research such as MRIs, cryogenics, superconductivity for quantum computing. It is used in the manufacturing of semiconductors, the manufacture of fiber optics, as well as rocketry and aerospace operations. Everybody is aware of helium as a lifting agent and helium balloons, but it is also used to provide an inert environment for the preservation of historical documents, like the U.S. Declaration of Independence.”
As for the company’s background, he said, “The company was founded by our CEO, Nick Snyder, in 2013. We currently produce about eight per cent of North America’s helium supply. We operate in Southwest Saskatchewan, where we manage over 9 million acres of helium rights. We’ve drilled over 125 wells, and have an extensive inventory of drillable, seismically defined drillable prospects that our technical team manages and refines every day. We manage a fleet of 30 high composite transport trailers and many ISO containers, which enable us to ship liquid helium throughout North America and internationally.”
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North American Helium founder and CEO Nick Snyder.
Founder and CEO speaks
Nicholas “Nick” Snyder, chairman and CEO, said, “It’s a privilege to stand here at what is now Canada’s largest helium purification facility, as we mark the start of production from the Stewart Valley plant.
“When we look at what made this project succeed, it really comes down to two things: the right province and the right people. Saskatchewan has the geology, the infrastructure, and the policy environment that allows discovery to move from the first well to commercial production in just 13 months. This is something that hasn’t been replicated anywhere else in the world.
“The Helium Action Plan set a clear goal: growing the province’s share of global helium production to 10 per cent by 2030, and it has backed that goal with competitive royalties, incentives for processing facilities, and a practical approach to tenure. That combination is rare. It’s why new helium production can be commercialized here faster and more reliably than any other place in the world.”
He continued, “The other half of it is the people. This facility exists because of the landowners that worked with us, the contractors and service companies based here in Swift Current and in the surrounding area. The operators who will run the plant, and our own technical team, who identified the trends, drilled the wells, and commissioned this facility ahead of schedule.
“Local knowledge and a skilled workforce turned a discovery into new production that the world needs.
Two wells near the road feeding the facility
“This one facility is producing at a rate of approximately 75 million cubic feet per year, more than one per cent of annual global helium demand. And based on reserve evaluation, this is now the largest helium field ever discovered in Canada. This one plant, alone, is projected to generate royalties to the province of over $30 million over the course of its production life, and I think we’re all looking forward to a lot more discoveries and a lot more facilities like this getting built in this region.
“This will represent a meaningful increase in local economic activity and government revenue over time.
“Increasingly, when people think of helium, they think of semiconductor manufacturing and nuclear power and space exploration, not just party balloons. This is an essential critical mineral with an annual market size that is equal to the combined annual market size of every rare earth element combined. At a time when global helium supply is once again disrupted by geopolitical events far from here, it’s time for the world to notice that helium production from this province, produced from underground fields of nitrogen rather than hydrocarbons, represents the most reliable and fastest-growing source of helium supply that is needed by every major industry and country around the world.”
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Liquefier coming
Snyder then spoke of the next step, that one first discussed with the Helium Action Plan five years previous. He said, “With Stewart Valley on stream, we now have the regional production base to support Canada’s first helium liquefier, which we intend to locate in the town of Swift Current. That next step will improve efficiency, reduce emissions from trucking, and strengthen the overall economics of the industry in this part of the province.”
Snyder expressed gratitude to the Government of Saskatchewan and City of Swift Current.
He added, “Our focus remains the same as it has been since we brought our first plant online in 2020: deliver reliable helium on time and on budget, and keep investing where the geology and conditions continue to support it, we’re very excited about the future, and we appreciate all of you being here today.”
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Minister of Energy and Resources Chris Beaudry
$700 million invested to date, says minister
Minister of Energy and Resources Chris Beaudry said, “This is a significant day for North American Helium, for Southwest Saskatchewan, and for our province as a whole.
“When we talk about Saskatchewan’s resource sector, we often talk about oil, potash, uranium. Helium is another example of what the province has to offer, and today is another step toward a stronger, more diversified resource economy.
“Over the past decade, North American Helium has invested approximately $700 million. I’ll repeat that again: $700 million into Saskatchewan. That’s a tremendous commitment, representing jobs, opportunities for local business and economic activity that reaches well beyond this facility.
“Today, Saskatchewan accounts for more than 95 per cent of Canada’s helium production. North American Helium played a major role in making that possible, and I think there’s something important about the fact that the industry is growing right here in rural Saskatchewan. This growth matters because it is happening right here.
I also want to take a moment to recognize Nick personally. Nick was integral in our trip to Ottawa. When you’re making Saskatchewan’s case on the national stage, it matters to have people at the table who understand the industry, explain the opportunity clearly, and are willing to do the work. Nick was one of those people. He helped bring the Saskatchewan helium story to life as something that matters to our economy, our communities, and our future. So, Nick, thank you for that, and congratulations to you and the entire room.
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“Our government appreciates the confidence that North American Helium continues to show in Saskatchewan. Building the largest purification facility in the country sends a strong message about where this industry is headed.
“And I believe the opportunity ahead of us is even bigger. Around the world, helium demand is growing for medical imaging, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and the technologies that are shaping our future.
“Saskatchewan has the resources, the expertise, and the track record to be a major part of meeting that demand. We have an opportunity to help supply the world with a critical resource while creating good jobs and building stronger communities here at home, but we also have to make sure our policies allow that opportunity to grow.”
Beaudry brought up an issue that’s been significant for a while now – the fact helium does not qualify for flow-through shares. He said, “One of the issues we continue to raise with the federal government is the tax treatment of helium exploration and development. Right now, helium does not receive the same treatment as other critical minerals under federal tax structures that creates a disadvantage for companies investing in exploration and development, and it risks holding back an industry where Canada has a real competitive advantage.
“Aligning helium with other critical minerals would strengthen the investment environment, encourage further development and improve Canada’s ability to compete as demand for secure supplies grows. It could also help unlock the next major steps for this industry. We will continue to make that case to the federal government because our responsibility is to make sure Saskatchewan remains one of the most attractive places in North America to invest in natural resources. When investment comes to Saskatchewan, it supports families, gives young people a reason to stay, and builds communities and builds pride in the place that they call home. And that’s what it’s really all about. The resources are here, the expertise is here, and the people are here.”
According to RiggerTalk.com, on Oct. 16 Savanna Drilling Rig 629 spudded a well for NAH about six kilometres north-northwest of the community of Stewart Valley, just on the edge of the river valley. It’s about 22 kilometres northwest of the new purification facility. Snyder spoke of a second rig going to work this winter as well.
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Resurgence
Swift Current MLA and Minister of Education Everett Hindley said, “Southwest Saskatchewan, famous for wind that would appear today, and soon also helium as well. And I think what’s important to note is that this is a bit of a resurgence here in Southwest Saskatchewan.”
He noted, “When I moved to Swift Current back in 1996, one of the things I learned was that once upon a time, just north of Swift Current, was a helium plant, and I didn’t know that. I assumed that helium was mined, found some far away country far away, but I did not know the history of that of that particular product here, right in our own backyard, North American Helium’s investments into Saskatchewan, as we’ve heard already, are creating jobs. They’re supporting local businesses here in Stewart Valley and surrounding area, and generating economic opportunities, helping to position our province, Saskatchewan, as a secure and reliable supplier of an increasingly important resource.”
Benefits
Swift Current Mayor Al Bridal said, “From the city’s perspective, this project represents something bigger than a new facility. It reflects the growing confidence that companies are placing in Southwest Saskatchewan and in the people who call this region home.
“Because of your investment in our neighboring communities, the benefits for the southwest area of the province look stand well beyond a single site. There are opportunities developing for businesses, for contractors, suppliers, workers, and families in a wide radius of where we stand today, because growth attracts more growth.
“And Nick, I was so glad to hear you talk about the liquefier, that this facility provides enough helium to actually seriously look at a liquefier, and hopefully the federal government in this coming up budget, we’re going to see some difference in the in the tax structure for critical mines. So I’m really, really excited and thank you for making that announcement this morning.
“Now, what also excites me is that we are seeing the emergence of an industry with long-term potential. The relationship between North American Helium, Stewart Valley, and Swift Current continues to strengthen, and that creates opportunities not only for today’s economy but for the next generation as well. The future is promising, and that’s worth celebrating.”
He thanked North American Helium for its $100,000 donation to the Southwest Facility Foundation, pointing out that some other large business, such as Walmart, do not make similar contributions.
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Much of the press corps came out
Questions
Pipeline Online queried about timelines and potential for investing in a liquefier, asking, “Are you actually going to be building one? Is that what you’re saying today, or are you saying that we’re at the point where we should be building?”
Snyder responded, “I’m saying we are actually going to be building one. We are not making the official announcement today, but stay tuned on that.”
One of the major impacts on the helium industry has been the war with Iran, which saw that nation hit major helium production facilities in Qatar, greatly disrupting global helium markets. Asked about that, and how it impacts their investment in southwest Saskatchewan, Snyder said, “Well, look, the unfortunate events in the Middle East obviously, you know, have created what is now the fifth global helium shortage in the last 20 years, and you know that sends prices higher, and it sends people to our door.
“But we’re not building this industry for a shortage. In the very long term, helium demand is growing all over the place, most notably from semiconductor manufacturing, but also space exploration and almost any major sector you can think of. And outside of what’s been happening in Western Canada, there hasn’t been a new discovery commercialized in North America in 50 years. Production in North America has been falling every year. So this is a real problem for the end user. And I think the long-term impacts of what’s happening in the Middle East, are a lot more important than the short-term impacts because helium is a just-in-time commodity. Liquid helium is perishable; you can only keep it in a container for 45 days. So, this isn’t like copper, where you can put it in a warehouse. You know, the end users, not just in North America, but the chip manufacturers in places like Korea and Taiwan, they need to have a reliable source of helium.
This is the guts of a special helium trailer. Thos are high-pressure cylinders inside
“So that’s why I think there’s such an opportunity for this region, both geopolitically reliable, operationally reliable, right along the Trans Canada Highway. I mean, this is just a multi-decade opportunity, and we couldn’t be more excited to be here.”
Asked why now was the right time for a liquefier, Snyder replied, “I thought the right time was two years ago, but things take longer than I would like.”
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He noted they’re not announcing that they’re shovel ready and fully funded. “But you know, this is something that I can’t convey enough: how important it is for national security, for every major segment of the economy that is growing today, and I think you know the unfortunate events in the Middle East are a bit of a wake-up call. But I still think that the impact of a growing helium shortage, if it gets worse from here, could have very significant impacts.”
He said a liquefier would be “in the neighbourhood of $100 million,” and he was pretty sure they could get it done in under two years. The company has been building two purification facilities per year like the one at Stewart Valley,
“We need to have critical scale of production in the area to support a helium liquefier. And with this plant online, we now have that critical scale where we can support building and filling a liquefier and turning this into a global helium hub in this region,” Snyder said.
Another trailer leaves for the US for processing
Currently, North American Helium trucks high capacity tube trailers to the United States, “There’s excess liquefier capacity because production has been falling in the U.S. for a long time, and there haven’t been new discoveries.”
“I think we can all appreciate the efficiency if we were taking them down to Swift Current instead. And that means you know less truck miles, less trucks, you know less traffic, and a much more efficient operation. And ultimately, that really benefits the future of this industry in this region, not just near-term cost savings.”
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Key components of the helium purification facility
Many more helium facilities to come?
In answering a question about potential employment impacts, Snyder alluded to dramatic expansion of the industry in the future. Stewart Valley is their 11th purification facility, but Snyder spoke of many, many more.
He said, “Well, obviously (it’s) a larger impact during the construction phase, but there would be permanent operator jobs.
“I think the bigger impact is unlocking this region not just as a growing area with helium production, but a global helium hub. And I think you know helium demand is going to continue to grow globally. And to the extent that major economies around the world are looking to this area for helium production, building a helium liquefier is going to really improve the economics for building 10, 20, 30, 40 more facilities like this one, and that’s really where we’re going to see a big impact on the region.
He added, “This business is sort of a cross between oil and gas and mining, and the helium content is an area where it looks a little bit more like mining. Where this facility is sized to produce a certain amount of bulk gas per day. This facility is sized for 12 million cubic feet per day, which is majority nitrogen. So, to the extent that there’s twice as much helium in that bulk gas, and this facility has roughly twice as much helium as some of our other facilities in the bulk gas, you’re going to get twice as much production from the same facility. So, same capital cost, same amount of energy use, same amount … across the board, you’re looking at much higher efficiency, and you’re producing more from less, and that’s what we need to be doing here.”
Snyder said, “I think we’re in the second inning. I think there is incredible decades worth of potential here.”
He added next year he’d like to be inaugurating the new, biggest helium facility, which have not identified yet.
Helium Action Plan
Snyder said, “I think the government was prescient in suggesting the potential for 10 per cent of world supply by 2030. That’s certainly a goal that we’re aiming towards. But I said we’re in the second inning earlier. If we can get there by 2030, maybe we’re in the third or fourth. I think you know this is a very long-term opportunity, and until they change the laws of physics, this is only going to get more important.”
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