The Iran war disrupts global helium supply and artificial intelligence chipmakers
The Iran war disrupts global helium supply and artificial intelligence chipmakers
Publish Date: 2026-03-18 11:38:00
Source Domain: www.scientificamerican.com
- The closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps following U.S.-Israeli airstrikes has potentially disrupted both oil and the global helium supply chains, though immediate shortages are mitigated by market surplus.
- A third of the world’s commercial helium, which is vital to MRI, aerospace, and especially semiconductor manufacturing, originates from Qatar. The closure of three plants in Qatar – two using waste gas from LNG plants that run through the Strait – has cut off this helium supply.
- With the Strait closed, it’s expected that about a net shortage of 15 percent of global helium supply will occur, but the ongoing supply of helium already shipped mitigates immediate effects.
- The semiconductor industry, which has surpassed healthcare in being the largest consumer of helium, relies heavily on helium’s superior thermal conductivity and cleanliness during the critical etching processes for creating advanced microchips.
- Although alternatives like argon or nitrogen exist, they do not provide the same throughput or cleanliness standards required in semiconductor manufacturing; therefore, these sectors are less likely to experience shortages or switching to alternatives.
- The initial shortages will affect those regions most dependent on Qatar for helium supplies, especially advanced technology hubs like Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan. Though the impact may not affect party balloons in the short run, the long-term reliance on helium in critical technological applications puts the semiconductor industry at risk.
