Under the influence of the continuous fermentation of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the global energy supply bears the brunt. Among them, China’s highly dependent helium supply has attracted much attention from the capital market. On April 6, in the A-share market, the concept of natural gas and helium received a net inflow of funds. The listed companies made positive layout and received high attention in the research of investment institutions.
As a non renewable resource and an important strategic rare gas, helium, also known as “gold gas”, is mainly used in low-temperature superconductivity, high-end equipment manufacturing, medical treatment and large-scale scientific engineering. On April 2, the Securities Times reported that although Ukraine does not produce helium, the EU’s global rush to buy natural gas resources due to Russia’s sanctions has indirectly affected the production of helium extracted from natural gas.
The safety of helium supply in China has also attracted extensive attention from investment institutions. On April 6, the limit of Fujian Snowman Co.Ltd(002639) rose, and Shudao equipment (formerly ” Chengdu Shenleng Liquefaction Plant Co.Ltd(300540) “) rose 5.68% to close at 26.04%.
news: Recently, the media reported that Inner Mongolia yahai energy bog helium extraction project has entered the substantive construction stage. The helium extraction project is to extract helium from the bog gas generated in Shanghai Pudong Development Bank Co.Ltd(600000) tons of liquefied natural gas. The total investment of the project is 60 million yuan, and the total design scale bog treatment capacity is 1599m / h. The project is expected to enter trial operation and trial production in September. Shudao equipment confirmed the news that the project is under construction to the securities times · e company
According to the disclosure of Shudao equipment on December 10 last year, the listed company and yahai energy have carried out in-depth cooperation in the field of helium extraction, so as to make full use of the advantages of high helium content in raw natural gas of Inner Mongolia yahai and the company’s complete set of advanced technology of bog helium extraction process of LNG device. The two sides set up a project company as the main investor of bog helium extraction device, and invested Shanghai Pudong Development Bank Co.Ltd(600000) tons of LNG project bog helium extraction device in Inner Mongolia yahai, The estimated investment is 85 million yuan (including supporting working capital), and the static investment payback period of the project (after income tax) is expected to be 4.39 years.
In terms of the overall supply structure, China is highly dependent on foreign imports of helium.
According to the feedback of gas manufacturers and data statistics institutions to reporters, helium has tripled around February of the new year, from 100200 yuan / m3 at the beginning of the year to 500600 yuan / m3 recently; In 2021, China imported 3685 tons of helium, which is the main import variety of rare gases. The main importing countries include Qatar and the United States, accounting for about 90%.
According to the statistics of Longzhong information, as of March 31, the average monthly price of high-purity helium in tube bundle rose to 383 yuan / m3, a month on month increase of 69%, a year-on-year increase of about twice. The main helium import source was tightened, and under the difficulty of obtaining goods through channels, the price of goods received by mainstream distribution enterprises rose to 400500 yuan / m3. The ex factory price of mainstream production enterprises in Inner Mongolia rose to 460501 yuan / m3, of which the highest price in Inner Mongolia reached 512 yuan / m3. According to customs data, China’s helium import volume from January to February was 662.6 tons, an increase of 38% over the same period in 2021, and the average import price was US $80.2/kg. Among them, China’s helium import reached a record high in January and a new low in nearly six years in February.
In the institutional investigation, some investors asked Guangdong Huate Gas Co.Ltd(688268) executives the reasons for China’s high dependence on foreign helium and the guarantee of the company’s helium source. In the reply, the company’s executives said that the manufacturing of helium usually takes the natural gas containing 0.4 ~ 2% helium as the raw material, uses cryogenic separation method for one-time concentration, and uses adsorption method for purification and extraction. The helium content in China’s natural gas is generally very low, basically below 400ppm. For example, the simple extraction of helium directly from the natural gas with low helium content has many process equipment, long technical route and extremely high cost.
At present, China is unable to mass produce helium and mainly depends on imports. Guangdong Huate Gas Co.Ltd(688268) has been supplying purified helium to the downstream and attaches great importance to the gas source of the product. The company signed a long-term gas source contract before listing.
Suzhou Jinhong Gas Co.Ltd(688106) executives pointed out in reply to institutional investors that the company’s operation is mainly internal circulation, and the Russian Ukrainian war has improved the prosperity of the company’s helium business. Since 2020, the company has begun to deploy the whole industrial chain of purchasing liquid helium tanks and directly filling liquid helium from abroad, and ushered in the first imported helium tank on March 25 this year, which indicates that the company has opened up helium resources. In 2021, the company’s helium business will achieve an operating revenue of 30 million yuan. It is expected that the helium business will maintain good revenue and profit elasticity this year.
