By Linda Kor The Holbrook Basin is once again front and center in the hopes of discovering a valuable resource. This time instead of potash, the region will be explored for helium. Irwin Olian, the CEO and founder of Desert Mountain Energy Corporation, is hoping that what is predicted to be one of the largest helium deposits in the world will be uncovered in an area southwest of Holbrook. Olian, who has been involved in mining operations for many years in Africa where his previous companies, Pan African Mining Corp and African Queen Mines have been successful, is excited about the potential of the project. He claims that his companies’ mining operations in Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique and Ghana, as well as other areas on the continent never received a single complaint by environmentalists or citizens. “Compliance is critical for success. I am an environmentalist and an animal lover and everyone I hire has the same respect for the land that I do. Arizona has some of the most beautiful land in the world and we are looking at minimal intrusion,” stated Olian. Desert Mountain Energy recently acquired approximately 39,742 acres of helium prospects throughout the Holbrook Basin. The acreage is in close proximity to the Pinta Dome Field, which with other nearby fields produced in excess of 9.2 bcf (billion cubit feet) of helium gas grading eight to 10 percent in the 1960s and 1970s. According to the Arizona Geological Survey, some of the richest helium-bearing gas in the world was produced from fields in northeastern Arizona in the 1960s and 1970s. Three fields were located in the Holbrook Basin about 35 miles northeast of Holbrook. Helium concentrations ranged from trace amounts up to 10 percent in the Holbrook Basin and it was noted that helium content in gas is generally considered to be of commercial interest when the concentration is above 0.3 percent. Olian explained that the use for helium has increased in recent years with advances in technology. Helium is a coolant and is used in semi conductors and computer chips. It’s also used in supermarket bar code readers, fiber optic cables and spacecraft, to name a few. “Helium went from little economic value to now being of critical importance. Helium is non-flammable, non-combustible and doesn’t readily mix like oil or gas. It’s inert,” explained Olian. Olian also pointed out that Arizona, especially northeastern Arizona, has a great deal of land not suited for agriculture or industrial use. “If we can find a good use for the land that creates jobs and money for schools that’s important. People are struggling and this creates a reasonable balance. Achieving positive results without affecting the environment,” state Olian. Citizens in the region have spoken out against the project citing concerns of fracking and seepage of chemicals into the water table. When asked about concerns over fracking, Olian stated that the concerns are based on fear not fact. “This is not relevant to what we’re doing,” he said. He explained that helium is made up of small atoms and as a result is a very light gas that wants to escape the Earth’s gravity. “When formed it vaporizes through the Earth’s crust and out into space because it’s too light for gravity. So there’s only a few places where it’s trapped beneath the Earth’s surface. This is unlike oil, which is heavy and wants to go deep,” said Olian. As a result, large rigs and fracking are used to release oil and gas. Another concern is the drill rigs, and noise and air pollution. “To drill for helium we use simple vertical wells of which a majority will be about 1,500 feet deep. Miles of underground piping has no relevance and there’s no horizontal drilling. Fracking is not relevant to the basic program, we are not breaking shale.” But Olian admitted, “it might be considered down the road for a couple of areas but we’re looking for areas where we won’t have to.” He also stated that the wells would not be drilled within 500 meters of a waterway or stream and that regardless, there are a number of things done to prevent leakage or spills. According to Olian, the core is encased in three layers of casing that are cemented together for stability. There are also steel tanks used with an impermeable membrane so in the unlikely event of a spill, the liquids go into the membrane. “To avoid any risk at all we build berms. The shallow helium well involves only a very small amount of liquid under very low pressure, about 400 psi (pounds per square inch),” he said, adding that muriatic acid is also used in small quantities. “The most I would envision is 750 gallons, equal to five or six fish aquariums, which would only travel at most 100 feet from the wells if there was a problem. Lime would be used to absorb it if that should happen. This would be so little and so far from a water source that it would be minimal and not harmful,” he insisted. “I don’t criticize people for being concerned, they should be. So are we,” he said. “If there’s a way to bring balance and put people to work then that’s what we want to do.” As an exploration company Olian said that it is too soon to say how viable the resource may be for mining. But he believes it could eventually amount to hundreds of jobs for the area. Due to the shallow nature of the drilling there will be no super structures built for the project. Each drill rig will be from 5’ to 10’ above ground and will be spaced approximately a mile apart from each other. “One problem in Arizona is the erosion of the topsoil from overgrazing and the removal of the juniper forest for ranching. We will be happy to plant juniper trees to obscure the view of the wells,” stated Olian, adding that his operations in Africa involved planting trees and grasses to restore the area, often leaving the land in better condition than when they went to work. The company has begun prior mapping by targeting sources with minimal intrusion with the project to begin in earnest next year. “This will be a straight shot, vertical with a small core. If fracking is the only way to get it out then it is very soft fracking, a world of difference from the way of developing oil wells.”
