Qatar closes helium plants amid economic blockade

Doha

QATAR, the world's second-largest helium producer, has closed its two helium production plants because of the economic boycott imposed by other Arab states, industry sources told Reuters on Tuesday.

The helium plants operated by RasGas, a subsidiary of state-owned Qatar Petroleum (QP), were shut after Saudi Arabia closed its border with Qatar, blocking overland exports of the gas, a QP official told Reuters. RasGas is 70 per cent owned by QP and US giant ExxonMobil has 30 per cent.