• Sound Energy advances steps to obtain helium and natural hydrogen permits

• Technical studies completed but no exploration authorization granted yet

• Global helium supply disruptions keep prices high and market tight

Press reports in Morocco on Friday, November 28 indicate that the United Kingdom-based company Sound Energy is moving forward with efforts to secure exploration permits for areas it considers geologically promising for helium and natural hydrogen.

The initiative is part of the HyMaroc Limited joint venture created with Getech, a fellow UK company specializing in geoscience and energy exploration.

Sound Energy, operator of the Tendrara gas project, says it has completed several preliminary studies, including mapping targeted zones, assessing rock formations favorable to natural hydrogen production, and analyzing granitic structures that may host helium emissions.

The company notes that these technical elements form the basis of its administrative filings, although no exploration authorization has been granted so far. This momentum comes as global helium prices remain elevated.

This gas, essential for many industrial, scientific, and medical applications, has posted contract prices near $400 per 1,000 cubic feet, according to 2023 and 2024 assessments by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the U.S. agency that monitors critical mineral markets. The sector remains highly sensitive to supply disruptions.

In the United States, historically one of the largest producers, helium volumes sold by the Federal Helium System fell from around 61 million cubic feet in 2020 to 21 million in 2022, USGS data show. The decline, visible since 2021, is linked to repeated outages at the federal facilities in the Cliffside field in Texas.

Additional temporary shutdowns in Qatar and reduced output in Algeria in 2022 — two major suppliers — further weakened an already tight market. Supply remains concentrated, while demand continues to rise.

In this fragile context, Sound Energy’s steps to explore for helium in Morocco reflect a market seeking new prospective zones. The company’s efforts come at a time when dependence on a small group of major producers continues to weigh on supply security.

Abdel-Latif Boureima