Gazprom, Matheson sign MOU for helium in Eastern Siberia

Gazprom Export LLC signed a memorandum of understanding for development of helium reserves in Eastern

Siberia with Matheson, a unit of Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corp. The parent company is Japan’s largest helium supplier.

Plans call for Gazprom to build a pipeline from Yakutia to Vladivostok via Khabarovsk for gas from Chayandinskoye

field, triggering large-scale gas processing development in Eastern Russia.

A new liquid helium plant near Blagoveshensk is scheduled to begin production around 2018.

Matheson said it will provide helium industry expertise and take significant volumes of helium.