ASP Isotopes said on 26 October that Tetra4, operator of the Virginia gas project in South Africa’s Free State, has finished commissioning and reached stable liquid helium production. The first phase is designed for about 70,000 cubic feet of helium and 2,500 gigajoules of liquefied natural gas (LNG) a day, with full capacity expected in the fourth quarter. ASP Isotopes took over owner Renergen in January; first deliveries, once targeted for September, have not yet started. Steady output gives industrial users a supplier outside Qatar, which produced almost a third of world helium last year according to the US Geological Survey, and supports a second phase about 13 times larger, backed by up to $750 million of conditional debt.
Sources
- ASP Isotopes (GlobeNewswire): https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/10/26/3388045/0/en/asp-isotopes-inc-announces-that-renergen-limited-s-virginia-gas-project-has-achieved-stable-liquid-helium-production.html
- BusinessDay: https://www.businessday.co.za/companies/2026-10-27-asp-isotopes-renergen-achieves-stable-helium-output-at-virginia-project/
- Engineering News: https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/renergens-virginia-gas-project-achieves-stable-liquid-helium-production-2026-10-26