War or Peace, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Chip Industry Just Learned Depending on One Route for 30% of Its Helium Is Risky
2026-04-28 14:36:00 ET
The semiconductor industry thought it had fixed its supply chain problem after the early COVID-era chip shortage. It had not. What it had fixed was its exposure to single-fabricator risk. What it hadn't fixed, and what the Strait of Hormuz crisis has now exposed , is its near-total dependence on Qatar for roughly 30% of the global helium supply.
Helium is a byproduct of LNG processing that is used in semiconductor manufacturing. Qatar's Ras Laffan facility -- the world's largest single helium production site -- has been largely offline since early March 2026 following Iranian attacks and an effective blockade of the Strait. Because helium is produced alongside LNG, when LNG tanks fill up and production stops, helium production stops too. When (and if) the Strait reopens, it is expected to take at least two additional months for helium supply to normalize.
This is not a problem the semiconductor industry can quickly manufacture its way out of.
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