Iranian attacks have taken Qatar’s Ras Laffan facility offline, the source of roughly 30% of the world’s helium supply.
Helium is essential for chip manufacturing, MRI machines, fiber optics, and superconductors. CEOs are now warning that 14% of output capacity is now permanently damaged and may take 5 years to recover.
Here’s who’s getting hit hardest right now:
South Korea - 64.7% of helium imports from Qatar ($226.9M). Samsung & SK Hynix fabs are on the clock.
Taiwan - TSMC (18% of global chips) says it’s “monitoring” the situation.
Japan - Chip fabs + major MRI hub. First to run dry if shortages stretch beyond 60 days.
India - Thousands of hospital MRIs already seeing scan delays and rising costs.
Germany - Linde HQ + industrial gas giants. Spot prices up 100%. Rationing underway.
United States - Chipmakers & buyers warned of 15-20% price hikes. Federal reserve already strained.
Also exposed: Singapore, UK (NHS hospitals), France (Air Liquide), China, and more. Australia is one of the few alternative exporters but nowhere near enough to fill the gap.
Helium has no easy substitutes. Your next phone, laptop, data center, and MRI scan all depend on it.
That's very huge impactful
