Air Products Signs Long-Term Supply Contract with National Helium

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., May 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Air Products (NYSE: APD), the global leader in helium production, today announced the signing of a long-term helium supply contract with National Helium LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of DCP Midstream.  The feedstock from National Helium provides the base-load helium volume for Air Products' liquid helium plant located near Liberal, Kansas, one of the largest helium purification and liquefaction plants in the world. The Liberal facility, which is also connected to the United States Bureau of Land Management pipeline system, is also the home of a major Air Products helium distribution terminal.

"We have had a long and productive relationship with National Helium and are pleased to extend it for another very lengthy period of time," said John Van Sloun, general manager - Worldwide Helium at Air Products.  "This is a key supply contract for Air Products as we strive to ensure our ability to reliably serve our customer base.  At the same time, Air Products continues to look for other helium source opportunities where we can participate both as an investor and an operator."  Air Products is also supplied with helium feedstock from DCP Midstream at its Hansford County, Texas liquid helium plant.

Air Products has pioneered many of the helium extraction, production, distribution and storage technologies used in the industry today.  Air Products maintains the world's largest helium production and distribution system and operates numerous facilities around the world.

Van Sloun also indicated that Air Products' new, jointly-owned with MATHESON, liquid helium production plant near Big Piney, Wyoming is to be onstream later this year.  The Wyoming helium production plant will be the 10th liquid helium plant operating in the United States, and the first new U.S. facility constructed in over a decade. The Wyoming plant is designed to produce 200 million standard cubic feet per year at start-up, with expectations for future expansion to 400 million. The facility will process natural gas from the Riley Ridge Field in Wyoming, one of the largest helium-rich natural gas fields in the U.S.  The Riley Ridge field is believed to contain sufficient reserves to support helium production for decades. 

Helium is used in many unique and valued applications including:  magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); lifting for high altitude scientific research balloons, blimps and party balloons; fiber optics and semi-conductor manufacturing; metallurgy; breathing atmospheres for deep diving or unique blood gas medical mixtures; analytical chemistry; pressurizing and purging pipes, vessels, and other critical equipment; leak detection; and other advanced applications.

About Air Products

Air Products (NYSE: APD) provides atmospheric, process and specialty gases; performance materials; equipment; and technology. For over 70 years, the company has enabled customers to become more productive, energy efficient and sustainable. More than 18,000 employees in over 40 countries supply innovative solutions to the energy, environment and emerging markets. These include semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, coal gasification, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives. In fiscal 2011, Air Products had sales of approximately $10 billion. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com. 

NOTE: This release may contain forward-looking statements within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on management's reasonable expectations and assumptions as of the date of this release regarding important risk factors. Actual performance and financial results may differ materially from projections and estimates expressed in the forward-looking statements because of many factors not anticipated by management, including risk factors described in the Company's Form 10K for its fiscal year ended September 30, 2011.

SOURCE Air Products