Praxair to boost helium supplies

Industrial gas supplier Praxair of Danbury, CT, plans to increase its available supplies of helium through an agreement announced this month with oil and gas developer Union Pacific Resources Group of Fort Worth, TX. Under the agreement, UPR will invest $60 million to build and operate a gas gathering system, a natural processing unit, and a helium liquefier in southeast Colorado. UPR will fund the entire project, while Praxair will design and build the natural gas processing unit and helium liquefier. Praxair will also buy natural gas and helium produced by the facility. Liquid helium is used to cool the superconducting magnets used in MRI scanners.