Pulsar taps Chart for helium and CO2 capture plant in US

Canada-headquartered helium developmentcompany Pulsar Helium has given the go- ahead to Chart Industries to beginengineering work for a planned helium extraction and carbon dioxide capturefacility at Topaz in the US state of Minnesota.

The project builds on a letter of intentPulsar signed with Chart’s subsidiary Earthly Labs in November 2024.

“By engaging Chart Industries, the goldstandard in gas processing equipment, at this early stage we can leverage [its]engineering expertise and secure essential components ahead of our finalinvestment decision,” said Thomas Abraham-Jones, President & CEO of Pulsar.

Recent testing at Topaz’s first wellrevealed a peak gas flow rate of approximately 1.3 million cubic feet per dayunder wellhead compression, with dry gas and no formation water produced.

To extract the helium, a facility needs tobe built that can separate and liquefy the gas. Most often, helium is recoveredusing a multi-stage cryogenic process that involves collecting evaporatedhelium, compressing it, and then using cryogenic purification to removeimpurities before it is liquefied for reuse or storage.

The partners plan to pair this facilitywith a CO2 capture unit to prevent excess emissions during helium extraction.

Helium processing is energy-intensive andcan release several tonnes of CO2 for every tonne of helium recovered,particularly when helium is present at concentrations below 1%.

A 2019 US DOE/National Energy TechnologyLaboratory study estimated that helium recovery plants without CO2 capturecouild emit between 0.2 and 0.6 tonnes of CO2 per thousand cubic metres of gasprocessed, depending on the separation technique.

There are currently no estimated CO2capture figures for Topaz, but it is likely that Chart will supply a CO2capture unit that targets the acid gas fraction separated during heliumpurification, which otherwise would be vented. Pairing it with capture couldeliminate several thousand tonnes of CO2 per year.

It is expected that the Topaz project willreach final investment in 2026.

Last week, Pulsar revealed that itwould expandits gross acreage by nearly 60,000 acres through a plannedacquisition of Quantum Hydrogen. According to the company, the geology of thesite bears characteristics similar to Topaz.

“The assets will expand our heliumexploration footprint in Minnesota by approximately 1,000%, providing us withadditional acreage nearby to our flagship Topaz project,” said Abraham-Jones.