Forlenza reported in late 2013 that Helium is the second lightest and the second most abundant element in the observable universe where it makes up about 24% of the total elemental mass. This mass is more than 12 times greater than the mass of all the heavier elements combined. Most helium in the universe is helium-4 and is believed to have been created in the Big Bang and during the fusion reactions in stars.
Forlenza conducted an investigation of pore-space gases to evaluate potential migration of hydrocarbons through the soil. This investigation required the detection of potential equipment leaks. In these applications, helium is often used as a tracer gas because it is inert, non-flammable, and extremely rare in the atmosphere. Helium leaks can be readily detected with a hand-held instrument. The helium for this testing was drawn for a pressurized tank of a type that is widely available at retail.
Most terrestrial helium was created by the natural decay of heavy radioactive elements, principally thorium and uranium, in the minerals cleveite, pitchblend ( uraninite ), carnotite, and monazite. These minerals are often found in granitoid basement rocks. Because helium migrates and is trapped
in the subsurface under conditions that also trap hydrocarbons, the greatest natural concentrations of helium on the planet are found in natural gas. Most unprocessed natural gas contains at least trace amounts of helium, yet very few natural gas fields contain commercially exploitable concentrations. Helium concentrations in natural gas vary over a wide range from a few parts per million to greater than 70,000 parts per million (7 percent). Natural gas must contain at least 0.3% helium to be considered as a potential helium resource.
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