Balloon goes up over lack of helium

But a stockpile of the rare resource in Darwin could be the saving grace. BOC's helium plant at Wickham Point is the only facility in the southern hemisphere, the NT News reported. It supplies all of Australia's helium needs and ships 75 per cent of the gas overseas. Partygoers and amateur comedians would not be the only victims of a global shortage, with scientists, doctors, divers, blimp drivers, astronauts and soldiers also affected. Helium is used in hospitals for MRI scans, divers' oxygen tanks and for scientific and aerospace applications. But BOC communications general manager Melissa Hayes said balloons should not be blamed for the global shortage. "There have been some media reports circulating overseas that helium stocks are low for medical and scientific purposes due to overuse in the balloon gas market, but these are misleading," she said. "Helium for balloons is a different product." The Darwin plant produces 150 million cubic feet of helium a year. Reports from the US suggest global reserves could be exhausted within 30 years.