Helium One Confirms Major Reserves in Tanzania as Global Demand Surges

• Independent report confirms large helium reserves in Helium One’s Itumbula permit.
• Phased development planned with pilot drilling to begin in Tanzania’s Rukwa Basin.
• Company eyes long-term potential amid booming global helium demand.

On June 25, Helium One announced it had received an independent Competent Person’s Report (CPR) validating significant helium volumes within its license area in the Rukwa Basin, southwestern Tanzania. The report highlights confirmed reserves on the Itumbula permit, which was recently granted to the company.

The CPR estimates contingent helium resources of 296 million cubic feet (2C), with a potential increase up to 1.35 billion cubic feet (3C). In addition, the report identifies 3.2 billion cubic feet of prospective helium resources across other targets within the same license.

These volumes confirm the strategic importance of the Rukwa project in the global helium supply chain.

Helium One plans to develop the Rukwa project in phases. The first stage will include five production wells connected to a pilot plant. The second phase will expand to fifteen wells, before full-scale development with about 46 additional wells and complete production infrastructure.

However, the company has not yet reached a final investment decision (FID) and must secure local permits and project financing before initiating large-scale production.

The company’s announcement comes as global helium demand rises, driven by critical industries such as medical imaging, semiconductors, and aerospace. James Smith, Non-Executive Chairman of Helium One, said that the completion of the independent evaluation confirms the company’s long-standing belief that the Southern Rukwa project holds the potential to become a unique and strategic helium development in Africa. According to IDTechEx, global helium demand could double by 2035, underlining the project’s long-term value.

 Abdel-Latif Boureima