Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-19

tural gases that its production for other than
laboratory purposes was made practical 1t was
estimated that 1,25O,O00 cubic feet OF hellum
runs to waste In natural gases every "a hours
o rate SUFFICIENT to I'LL four large airshlpS
week
The history of the production of helium on
a commercial scale began when German Yep
peIin pierced by incendiary bullets In 1914,
did not take fire. Sir r. Threlfoid suggested
TO the British admiralty that the Germans had
possibly discovered new source OF heiium ana
had used It in their dirigible Whether correct
or not, his suppositson paved the way for M
vestieation of the various possible sources OF
helfllm in the British Empire. The natural gas
supplies of Canada appeared at that time as
possible sources likely to yield helfum IN SUI
ficient quantity for war purposes
The work of H. p Cady and d. r. Macfar-
lane in 1907 on the helium-beairng gases OF
Kansas had already shown that the united
States was in possession OF supplies OF nenum
which might be developed on commercial
scale But moth ng further was done until the
united states entered the World War and
heIium production for lighter than-air cra1t
was started by the Government Operations
then proceeded with such vigor that at the
time of the armistice $4,000 cubic feet OF
helium Of 90 per cent purity was on DOCK
ready to dispatch to Europe for aeronautlcal
purposes by the A. e. F.
AS a result of thorough studies made oy
spec.alfsts of the United states Bureau OF
Mines and the Geological Survey OF FIELDS
which contained helium-bearing natural gas,
It was established that the Petrola gas field OF
Clay County, Tex, was at that time best suited
as source Of supply for the government
first helium development.
At the beginning Of this development work
three plants were const- ucted to try out
experiments of helium production. Three firms,
the Liride Air Products Co, the Air Reduction
Co. and the Jefferies Norton Corporation, active
In kindred lines, co-operated with the Govern
ment In this project, using notifications OF their
processes for the purpose. Two other plants
were erected at Fort worth ana enc at Petrolia
and all three were supplied with gas from the
petrolia gas fields. Funds for development work
were provided by allotment from the War and
Navy Departments.
Following the first development work for the
production of helfum. plant using the process
developed BY the cooperating Ltnde Air
PRODUCTS Co. was constructed at Fort Worth
under the jurisdiction Of the Navy Department
This plant began operation in october, 1922,
and up to the opening Of the Amarillo heiium
plant produced 80 per cent of all the heiium
that has been produced IN the world. Until
July L. 1925, the plant was under the jurisdic-
ton Of the Navy Department. On that date tt
passed by legislative enactment, under the
jurisdiction Of the Bureau Of Mines.
The need Of greater facilities for helium pro-
ductfon with q view to future demand led to
careful review and study Of. the Cliffside
structure OF. the Amarillo gas field which had
been discovered after the initial operations at
Fort Worth were started, and comparison with
other sources showed it TO be the most favor
able Of all known fields AS the gas Of the
Cliffside structure Is approximately twice as
rich in heIium as that from the Petrolia field,