Title 50War and National DefenseRelease 119-73

§167n Helium gas resource assessment

Title 50 › Chapter CHAPTER 10— - HELIUM GAS › § 167n

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Within 2 years after October 2, 2013, the Secretary, through the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, must complete several helium studies. Working with state geological surveys, the Secretary must finish a national assessment that finds and measures helium (including helium‑3) in each reservoir and notes other gases present, and must provide modern seismic and geophysical log data for the Bush Dome Reservoir. Working with international agencies and the global geology community, the Secretary must also finish a global assessment that finds and measures helium (including helium‑3) in each reservoir. Working with the Secretary of Energy through the Energy Information Administration, the Secretary must study global helium demand trends, make a 10‑year forecast of U.S. demand across all sectors (including scientific and medical research, commercial, manufacturing, space technologies, cryogenics, and national defense), and make an inventory of U.S. uses (including Federal uses) that shows amounts used, whether recycling or recapture is technically and commercially viable, and available substitutes. The results must be sent to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the House Committee on Natural Resources. Up to $1,000,000 is authorized to carry out these tasks.

Full Legal Text

Title 50, §167n

War and National Defense — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Not later than 2 years after October 2, 2013, the Secretary, acting through the Director of the United States Geological Survey, shall—
(1)in coordination with appropriate heads of State geological surveys—
(A)complete a national helium gas assessment that identifies and quantifies the quantity of helium, including the isotope helium-3, in each reservoir, including assessments of the constituent gases found in each helium resource, such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and natural gas; and
(B)make available the modern seismic and geophysical log data for characterization of the Bush Dome Reservoir;
(2)in coordination with appropriate international agencies and the global geology community, complete a global helium gas assessment that identifies and quantifies the quantity of the helium, including the isotope helium-3, in each reservoir;
(3)in coordination with the Secretary of Energy, acting through the Administrator of the Energy Information Administration, complete—
(A)an assessment of trends in global demand for helium, including the isotope helium-3;
(B)a 10-year forecast of domestic demand for helium across all sectors, including scientific and medical research, commercial, manufacturing, space technologies, cryogenics, and national defense; and
(C)an inventory of medical, scientific, industrial, commercial, and other uses of helium in the United States, including Federal uses, that identifies the nature of the helium use, the amounts required, the technical and commercial viability of helium recapture and recycling in that use, and the availability of material substitutes wherever possible; and
(4)submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives a report describing the results of the assessments required under this paragraph.
(b)There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $1,000,000.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 167n, act Mar. 3, 1925, ch. 426, § 16, as added Pub. L. 86–777, § 2, Sept. 13, 1960, 74 Stat. 923, directed the Secretary of the Interior to make annual reports to Congress, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–362, title IX, § 901(q), Nov. 10, 1998, 112 Stat. 3291.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

50 U.S.C. § 167n

Title 50War and National Defense

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73