A Saskatoon-based company is very excited at a program it has just started in the province’s southwest.

Royal Helium has commenced its three well drill program at Climax with drilling starting earlier this month

It is the first of what Royal Helium President and CEO Andrew Davidson hopes is just the beginning of what will be many programs to get the gas out of the ground.

“We see this as a situation where we drill these three wells ,and once we are done we come back and keep drilling for the foreseeable future. “Davidson said. “The land package that we have in the southwest part of the province and the southeast is known for helium potential.”

Davidson says when you think of helium, you think of balloons which is understandable as that is the thought that crossed his mind when he first became involved.  He says the helium industry is one that is far more than balloons as it is used in things like MRI machines, space exploration and high-tech manufacturing.

The province has said in the past that the helium industry is one that could explode and that while we are on the ground floor, there is no idea as to where the ceiling could be at this time.

Total cost of the project is five million dollars. If all goes well, the drilling will be done at the end of March with production following soon after.   Davidson says it is an exciting time as the project finally comes to fruition.