Automated Hydraulic Fracturing: The Rise of the Frac Bots and Fully Closed Loop Fracturing

     Electric-powered hydraulic fracturing has been growing across the U.S. for a few years now. Electric pumps can offer high horsepower and reliability. Now, in 2025, the advent of fully automated hydraulic fracturing is in progress. An August 2025 article in Oil & Gas Journal by Alex Procyk gives some highlights of how AI improves hydraulic fracturing.

 

   

Halliburton’s OCTIV Auto Frac

     In January 2025, Halliburton announced their collaboration with Coterra Energy on fully automated closed-loop hydraulic fracturing in the Permian Basin. Halliburton utilized their OCTIV Auto Frac service as part of their Zeus intelligent fracturing platform, along with its electronic pumps and its Sensori fracture monitoring service. The initial rollout led to a 17% increase in stage efficiency. There are several other advantages and improvements that will be described below. The very significant improvements will likely make auto fracs an industry standard, although it is not known how fast this will happen. If the improvements are as good as they seem, then it should happen pretty quickly. The OCTIV frac "ecosystem" is described below.

     A January 2025 paper presented at the SPE Hydraulic Fracturing Technology Conference and Exhibition in Houston noted the advantages of automated fracs:

“Automating hydraulic fracturing enables operational consistency in execution, reduces risk, and enables higher-level system control for the operator. Automation also enhances employee utilization, freeing resources for other tasks by eliminating tedious routines while pumping. In 2024, completion automation began to roll out across North America, and today, controlling execution from the beginning to the end of stage, running across numerous fleets.”

     I was unable to access the full paper, but an article in Drilling Contractor Magazine by Senior Editor Stephen Whitfield explains the paper. According to Price Stark, Production Enhancement Commercial Manager at Halliburton, and one of the paper’s authors:

“Any given second of a spread with 20 or so pumps could have hundreds of thousands of setpoints. And if you’re always fighting to find this optimal level of decision making, you’ll find that some people are very good at it, and some are not. We needed to put all of this decision making into a system that provides a base level of control and automation.”

     The simple fact is that manual control often results in less consistency in decision-making. This results in less efficiency overall. Human operators differ by experience, risk tolerance, response time, and judgment in critical situations. Automated response does not have these limitations, but models must be trained properly. The Drilling Contractor article notes that:

“…the operator determines the desired properties of the fracturing fluid at the wellhead, such as slurry rate, treating temperature and proppant concentration. The service company focuses on the operation of the frac equipment, including setting the process parameters of each piece of equipment.”

     Automated decisions can be manually overridden if necessary.

“Thousands of sensors installed on the equipment and throughout the frac spread provide the Auto Frac system with real-time data on the health of the pumps, the total load requested for a frac fleet, and how best to distribute that load across the entire frac spread.”

     Halliburton did extensive testing of their Auto Frac through 2022 and 2023.

“Mr. Stark outlined four categories of metrics that Halliburton sought to address while trialing the Auto Frac system: control, consistency, performance and risk. Each was measured using conventional manual frac control systems by the same crews in the same basins in the year prior to deployment of the automated system.” 

     The wellhead slurry rate and the rate of setpoint updates to each pump were analyzed to assess control. The Auto Frac system allowed frac crews to modify pump rates more precisely. Halliburton utilized the metric of hydraulic efficiency, a measure of actual slurry volume divided by stage time, to evaluate frac efficiency. The results showed a 4.6% increase in hydraulic efficiency, which is considered to be a good number since increasing hydraulic efficiency beyond 1% has proved to be difficult.

“Halliburton measured treatment performance during testing as a function of time loss during the rate ramp period versus the ideal, with “ideal” referring to the point where the wellhead rate equals the maximum achievable wellhead rate within a given observed wellhead pressure. In other words, how much slower does it take to reach the maximum achievable wellhead rate than expected?”

     The result was a 44% improvement in auto frac compared to manual frac. Overall, Halliburton reports that:

“…its automation technology executes up to 14,000 actions during a single stage, reducing the workload on human operators by 88%, while executing 2,720% more setpoints than human controllers.”

     Evaluating risk was more difficult due to the lack of established methods and metrics. As noted below, they used a metric of “frequency of stages cut short” to evaluate risk, with more stages cut short, usually screen outs, correlating to higher risk.

“For Auto Frac testing, Halliburton measured the frequency of frac stages cut short. Mr Stark said it is common practice to conclude a frac stage before the designed proppant mass is placed; this is a response to perceived screenout risk. So, testing presumed that risk levels on any stage cut short is higher than on stages pumped to completion, and a job with lower frequency of stages cut short were presumed to be jobs executed with less risk.”

     The results show that with manual fracs, there were, on average, 6.1 stages cut short, but with auto fracs, there were just 1.6 stages cut short on average. Thus, improvements via that metric are significant.

     In June 2025, Halliburton announced a collaboration with Chevron in Colorado that “enables closed-loop, feedback-driven completions.” The companies developed autonomous workflows that adjust well-completion behavior.

“Chevron’s work in closed-loop automation changes the approach to hydraulic fracturing in shale and tight rock formations. Operations can now react to a localized environment through real-time adaptation rather than performance forecasting.”

     Halliburton also notes that their Octiv Auto Frac method optimizes equipment for extended life and reliability. Their Sensori frac monitoring system allows them to measure the fluid distribution in each frac stage in their near-well mode. They can also do cross-well monitoring.  

 

ProFrac Holding Corp. and Seismos Plan to Introduce Closed-Loop Fracs Across All U.S. Basins

     On August 18, 2025, ProFrac Holding Corp. and Seismos announced their plan to introduce fully automated closed-loop hydraulic fracturing across all U.S. oil & gas basins.  They plan to offer two modes, supervised and unsupervised. Supervised mode allows human operators to make changes, while unsupervised mode relies on automated decision-making. According to the announcement:

“ProFrac and Seismos are already working towards full tech stack and crew-level integration. From day one, it has been designed to scale across all fleets, enabling Closed Loop Fracturing for all supermajors and leading independents.”

"Seismos is the innovator who introduced the concept of Closed Loop Fracturing, and we are leading the market with the only patented, transparent, fully-vetted technology that is years ahead of the copycats," commented Panos Adamopoulos, CEO of Seismos. "True closed-loop frac operations are built on the unbiased audit of frac performance, a capability only Seismos provides. ProFrac's willingness to be measured at this level speaks volumes about their commitment to performance and transparency."

     Seismos touts its measurement while fracturing (MWF) capabilities. Their MWF QC system:

 “…embeds a one-of-a-kind measurement referred to as NFCI (Near Field Connectivity Index). NFCI is a patented measurement of the reciprocal of flow resistance (NFCI = 1/flow resistance) in the near wellbore area. The higher the NFCI, the higher the ability of the fracture network in the near field (near wellbore) area to allow hydrocarbon inflow into the wellbore.”

     The NFCI metric is sensitive to different parameters, including stimulation treatment, geology, stresses, and the number of clusters taking fluid. A geology example is shown below that optimizes treatment based on formation brittleness as derived from cores, mechanical properties logs, and other petrophysical measurements.

 

Automated Pressure Management

     E3 Company notes that there is a clear shift in the industry toward automated frac equipment that is basically unstoppable. The precision of automated frac tech is driving the deployment. The introduction of smart controls, real-time data processing, and responsive pressure management is leading to faster, safer, and more efficient frac jobs. The use of embedded systems, programmable controls, and sensor arrays to manage pressure, flow, and equipment behavior leads to better performance. The use of AI/ML, IoT, and remote monitoring and control gives additional improvements and the ability to make further improvements as more is learned.

“It’s becoming increasingly clear that the future of frac work is autonomous, data-driven, and remarkably efficient.”

     In an article on their website, E3 gives five common frac failures that can be prevented with automated pressure control. I will summarize the five failures and how automated pressure control prevents them.

1)        Frac Overpressure Failure Events – The automated system with sensors takes hundreds of pressure measurements per second. This allows it to open relief valves within milliseconds when the pressure gets dangerously high.

2)        Slow or Inaccurate Manual Bleed-Offs - The automated system allows for depressurization, or bleed-off, to be triggered remotely with precise control over rate and volume.

3)        Stuck or Failing Valves – The use of motorized or hydraulic remote valve actuation that is built for high-cycle operation can result in faster detection of valve problems. This can lead to making necessary adjustments before a failure occurs.

4)        Human Error in High-Stress Conditions – E3 notes: “Actions like opening a valve, relieving pressure, or calibrating a sensor are all executed through a human-machine interface (HMI), reducing the chance of misjudgment.” They note that their automation solutions are designed not to support rather than replace frac operators.

5)        Inconsistent Response Times Across Shifts – people are different and can often make different decisions based on similar data. In other words, people tend to be inconsistent, especially compared to machines, which can be programmed to be remarkably consistent.

      

Automated Hydraulic Fracturing Will Likely Become Industry Standard

     It seems very likely to me that, for several reasons, automated fracs will become the industry standard as the improvements are just too good to ignore. Unfortunately, this means fewer people will be employed on frac crews in the future. That is the result of lots of automation, and at some point, our societies will have to reckon with that. However, many think that it won’t be a major issue. I do plan to research and write about the effects of AI and automation on labor at some point in the future.

 

 

     

 

References:

 

Frac Bots, Coming to a Field Near You. Sarah Compton. Enspired by AAPG. August 26, 2025.

Coterra Energy and Halliburton launch first fully automated hydraulic fracturing program. Halliburton. January 6, 2025. Coterra Energy and Halliburton launch first fully automated hydraulic fracturing program

ProFrac Holding Corp. and Seismos to Introduce Supervised and Unsupervised Closed Loop Fracturing Across All U.S. Basins. August 18, 2025. TMCNET News. ProFrac Holding Corp. and Seismos to Introduce Supervised and Unsupervised Closed Loop Fracturing Across All U.S. Basins

Advancements in Oil & Gas Operations: Exploring Automated Frac Equipment. E3 Company. Advancements in Automated Frac Equipment

Top 5 Failures That Automated Pressure Control Can Prevent. E3 Company. August 19, 2025.  Reducing Failure With Automated Pressure Control

AI improves fracturing performance. Alex Procyk. Oil & Gas Journal. August 14, 2025. AI improves fracturing performance | Oil & Gas Journal

Chevron and Halliburton enable intelligent hydraulic fracturing. Halliburton. June 12, 2025. Chevron and Halliburton enable intelligent hydraulic fracturing

Halliburton Debuts Automated Fracturing Tech in US Shale Fields Available to Purchase. Jaxon Caines. Journal of Petroleum Technology. 77 (03): 28–31. Paper Number: SPE-0325-0028-JPT. March 1, 2025. Halliburton Debuts Automated Fracturing Tech in US Shale Fields | Journal of Petroleum Technology | OnePetro

OCTIV® digital fracturing services. Halliburton. OCTIV® digital fracturing services

Auto Frac: Improving Consistency and Control in Completions Available to Purchase. E. Bogle and P. Stark. Paper presented at the SPE Hydraulic Fracturing Technology Conference and Exhibition, The Woodlands, Texas, USA, February 2025. Paper Number: SPE-223511-MS. Auto Frac: Improving Consistency and Control in Completions | SPE Hydraulic Fracturing Technology Conference and Exhibition | OnePetro

Sensori™ fracture monitoring service. Halliburton. Sensori™ fracture monitoring service

Testing shows automated frac outperforms manual in control, consistency, performance, risk: By replacing human decision making with data-driven controls, variations in field crew experience that limit efficiency can be removed. Stephen Whitfield, Senior Editor. Drilling Contractor Magazine. March 11, 2025. Testing shows automated frac outperforms manual in control, consistency, performance, risk - Drilling Contractor

A new era of intelligent fracturing. Halliburton. Intelligent fracturing

What's MWF? Real-time Quality Control Agent for Fracturing. Seismos. Seismos Inc. | MWF™ - Real-time Fracturing Quality Control Agent

Sensori™ Fracture Monitoring Service. Halliburton. Sensori_-_H014802

 

 

Particulate Matter Pollution: Sources, Health Impacts, Types & Sizes, and Regulation

       Particulate matter is the pollutant of greatest concern for public health. Particulate pollution contributes to millions of premature deaths along with respiratory and other illnesses. According to urbanemissions.info:

“World Health Organization (WHO) and Institute of Health Metrics Evaluation (IHME) estimated that urban air pollution from PM accounts for ~4 million premature deaths annually and the burden occurs primarily in developing countries.”

     The U.S. EPA points out in their description that particle pollution comes in many different forms that add up to form the totality of atmospheric particles:

“Particle pollution, also known as particulate matter or PM, is a general term for a mixture of solid and liquid droplets suspended in the air. Particle pollution comes in many sizes and shapes and can be made up of a number of different components, including acids (such as sulfuric acid), inorganic compounds (such as ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, and sodium chloride), organic chemicals, soot, metals, soil or dust particles, and biological materials (such as pollen and mold spores).”

     Particles less than 10 micrometers (10 µm) are known as PM10, and particles less than 2.5 µm are known as PM2.5. PM 2.5 is considered more dangerous to human health than PM 10.

     As noted, the sources of PM can be quite variable and include construction sites, unpaved roads, smokestacks, or fires. These are primary particles. Secondary particles form in complicated atmospheric reactions involving chemicals such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides that are emitted from power plants, industries, and automobiles. Secondary particles make up most of the fine particle pollution in the U.S. Secondary aerosol components include sulfates from sulfur dioxide emissions, nitrates from nitrogen oxide emissions, organic aerosols from hydrocarbon emissions, and ammonium from ammonia emissions. Indoor particulate pollution is also a concern. Indoor sources of PM include cooking, smoking, dusting, and vacuuming. Combustion particles are more likely to be fine particles, while biological and geological particles are more likely to be coarse.

     According to the EPA:

“Particle pollution levels can be especially high in the following circumstances:

·        Near busy roads, in urban areas (especially during rush hour), and in industrial areas.

·        When there is smoke in the air from wood stoves, fireplaces, campfires, or wildfires.

·        When the weather is calm, allowing air pollution to build up. For example, hot humid days with stagnant air have much higher particle concentrations than days with air partially “scrubbed” by rain or snow.

Because of their small size, fine particles outdoors can penetrate into homes and buildings. Therefore, high outdoor particle pollution levels can elevate indoor particle pollution concentrations.”

     Source apportionment refers to the method of determining the sources of PM pollution and their relative contributions by volume and percentage. There are two methods of source apportionment: top-down and bottom-down. The two approaches are complementary and are often used together.

     PM2.5 is the most studied pollutant because it is probably the most dangerous pollutant that affects us, in general. Thus, there is a need to measure these pollutants, especially where concentrations are high. Air quality monitoring programs are, therefore, often centered around PM2.5 monitoring networks.  

     Particulate pollution can remain airborne for days and travel across the country and across borders. That is why wildfire smoke from Western Canada can cause bad air quality in the U.S. Midwest. Certain areas are more vulnerable to particulate pollution and to air pollution in general. California, especially Southern California, is one area that is very vulnerable for a number of reasons. In the Eastern half of the U.S., from July through September, sulfates are more easily formed from power plant sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions create more fine particles. However, in the U.S. West, fine particulates are highest from October through December as secondary particle nitrates are more readily formed in cooler weather and due to wood stove and fireplace use.  

 

     Weather inversions are common in the West in mountainous areas as well as in Southern California. These tend to keep particulates in the lower atmosphere, where they can be breathed in and negatively affect humans.

     In urban areas, there are many potential sources of PM. The graphic below shows sources and their relative source apportionment for Delhi, India, a city with frequent dangerous levels of PM pollution. Transportation, especially diesel-powered transportation, is a major source there as well as in California. Other sources more unique to India include biomass burning, which is very common, and the burning of crop waste in the autumn, which often triggers air quality alerts. 

     In the Northeast U.S., burning fuel oil is a major source, both for home heat and in some power plants. In fact, when natural gas is in short supply due to cold snaps and inadequate local pipeline capacity, some power plants will switch on their oil-burning units, which often trigger air quality alerts for short time periods. In many places, burning wood for heat is a major source of PM pollution in the winter. This has been a problem in California, Australia, and many other places where it can become the number one source of air pollution in the winter.  

     PM is one of the six criteria pollutants of most concern. The EPA’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and the well-known Air Quality Index (AQI) address PM pollution in particular. The AQI for most localities is easily accessible in the smartphone age.

 

Health Effects of PM Pollution

     The EPA has a lot of information on its pages about the effects of particle pollution, including well-known respiratory and cardiovascular effects. Children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing conditions are most affected by PM pollution. In areas with high PM, people who spend more time outside are more affected.

     Particles deposited in the respiratory system in sufficient quantities lead to inflammation.

“The overall balance between injury (inflammatory activity) and repair (anti-inflammatory defenses) plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of inflammatory respiratory diseases such as asthma. Inhalation of particle pollution may affect the stability or progression of these conditions through inflammatory effects in the respiratory tree.”

     Fine PM exposure can lead to cardiovascular effects through three primary pathways:

·        Systemic inflammation.

·        Translocation into the blood.

·        Direct and indirect effects on the autonomic nervous system.

“Oxidative stress is an underlying effect due to particle exposure that has been shown to impact endothelial function, pro-thrombotic processes, cardiac electrophysiology, and lipid metabolism.”

 

Natural Sources of PM Pollution

     Some sources of dangerous PM pollution are natural. These include dust storms, sandstorms, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, sea salt aerosols over oceans, pollen, and spores. Dust and sandstorms result from wind erosion. According to Daniel Valero’s Fundamentals of Air Pollution:

“Dust storms that entrain large amounts of particulate matter are a common natural source of air pollution in many parts of the world. Even a relatively small dust storm can result in suspended particulate matter readings one or two orders of magnitude above ambient air quality standards. Visibility reduction during major dust storms is frequently the cause of severe highway accidents and can even affect air travel. The particulate matter transferred by dust storms from the desert to urban areas causes problems to householders, industry, and automobiles. The materials removed by the air cleaner of an automobile are primarily natural pollutants such as road dust and similar entrained material.”

     Valero also notes that air pollution from volcanic eruptions can remain in the atmosphere for a long period of time, degrading local and regional air quality. Wildfire smoke can travel as well, affecting local and regional air quality. Pollution from wildfires includes smoke, unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, CO2, nitrogen oxides, and ash. Wildfire smoke also blocks sunlight and can reduce visibility. Ocean aerosols are made of salt particles. These airborne salt particles can degrade metals and paint. Trees and plants give off some volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Plant pollen can cause allergic reactions and respiratory distress. Pollen is a type of bioaerosol, which can be a living or formerly living organism. Mold spores are a source of aflatoxin, which is carcinogenic. Corn and rice processing facilities have shown high levels of airborne aflatoxin in dust. These are especially problematic indoors, where they can’t disperse as readily. The same is true of another natural pollutant, radon, which does not cause PM but is radioactive and can be dangerous when trapped in indoor air. Another dangerous natural pollutant is naturally occurring asbestos, which comes from rock containing asbestos fibers. Serpentinite with high levels of chrysotile asbestos can be dangerous. Valero shows a 2002 road cut in New York City that exposed serpentinite with 50% chrysotile asbestos content. Importantly, natural sources of PM pollution combine with anthropogenic PM pollution to form the total PM pollution burden of a locale or region.  

 

References:

 

What is Particle Pollution? U.S. EPA. What is Particle Pollution? | US EPA

Particulate matter. Wikipedia. Particulate matter - Wikipedia

Particulate Matter (PM) Pollution. U.S. EPA. Particulate Matter (PM) Pollution | US EPA

What is Particulate Matter (PM)? — Frequently Asked Questions. Repository of Air Pollution Information. UrbanEmissions.info. What is Particulate Matter (PM)? - Frequently Asked Questions - UrbanEmissions.Info

New research uncovers surprising connection between air pollution and major illness: 'The findings here showed a positive association'. Mandela Namaste. The Cool Down. August 14, 2025. New research uncovers surprising connection between air pollution and major illness: 'The findings here showed a positive association'

Particle Pollution Exposure. U.S. EPA. Particle Pollution Exposure | US EPA

Particle Pollution and Cardiovascular Effects. U.S. EPA. Particle Pollution and Cardiovascular Effects | US EPA

Particle Pollution and Respiratory Effects. U.S. EPA. Particle Pollution and Respiratory Effects | US EPA

Fundamentals of Air Pollution. Daniel Valero. Fifth Edition. Academic Press. 2014.

Automated Grid-Scale Solar Panel Installation is 3 Times Faster: Robotics Can Also Be Used for Surveying and Site Layout

     Automated solar panel installation at grid-scale solar facilities looks set to become a standard procedure as it reduces the time of installation significantly and reduces errors and the number of workers required. Sarcos Robotics, now Palladyne AI, launched its solar panel robot installer in 2024. According to an April 2023 article in Electrek, before the company launched the installer, they noted the configuration. The company is involved in industrial IOT and automation at solar panel manufacturing facilities as well.

“During the field trial, Sarcos worked with builder Mortenson, lift company JLG Industries, solar tracker firm Array Technologies, and engineering and product development firm Pratt Miller at a Mortenson project site.”

“The Sarcos Robotic Solar Module Installation Solution consists of an autonomous working vehicle featuring the Guardian XM intelligent manipulator robot and an autonomous delivery vehicle that optimizes the flow of solar panels from delivery to installation. The system delivers, detects, lifts, and places solar panels using computer vision and AI software.”

     Looking at some of the comments of that article shows that some workers are quite happy with the automation, as larger panels requiring “team lifts” are not everyone’s favorite. Workers can spend more time and effort on inspection and adjustment rather than heavy lifting, although fewer workers will likely be required.

     Electrical contracting company Rosendin announced in April that, in collaboration with ULC Technologies, it will demonstrate an autonomous solar panel installation at a site near Dallas, Texas, that will have 1.8 million solar panels on 5,300 acres. From the press release:

“This innovative 3-piece robotic system will transform utility-scale solar projects by tripling installation speeds, enhancing worker safety, and addressing the industry’s persistent labor shortage.”

“Rosendin’s Renewable Energy Group (RREG) will host the live exhibition at a large-scale solar energy project under construction in West Texas. Operators will demonstrate the robot’s features, which include autonomous operations, obstacle detection and avoidance using LiDar, maneuverability across uneven terrain, and precise positioning of PV panels within 2mm using GPS and KMZ mapping. A real-time demonstration will show how skilled electrical teams work alongside the robotic system, collaboratively installing PV panels faster, safer, and more efficiently.”

     They note that a previous demonstration project yielded a three times increase in deployment time. The robotics system is powered by a hybrid gas and electric system.

“…includes a Panel Setting Robot featuring a tracked, construction-grade robotic platform with an integrated robotic arm and 9-vacuum suction cups to lift and place PV panels precisely. Two Panel Carrying Robots work in tandem to transfer pallets of PV panels between the loading area and the installation point, eliminating downtime with a consistent supply.”

     According to EE Power:

“The two carrier robots can hold about 30 to 35 panels, each of which can measure up to 4 by 8 feet and weigh between 80 and 100 pounds. The robot placing the panels uses an arm with air knives and eight suction cups to lift each panel and set it in place. Skilled workers help guide the panel and then fasten the hardware and the electrical connections.”

     Past demo results showed that a two-person crew could install panels three times faster than a three- or four-person crew without the robotics system. That is a cost no-brainer when looking at scale. The workers would also have to walk far less, as much as one-tenth of the time as without robots. Plans for the future include developing a monitoring system and central control, allowing several robotic installation teams to operate simultaneously.

     A few years ago, I wrote about the use of drones for surveying and inspecting solar farm sites. These days, the use of ground-based wheeled autonomous vehicles is commonly used for surveying and site layout. Company Civ Robotics is deploying its Civ Dot four-wheeled robots, each of which “can mark up to 3,000 layout points per day and is accurate within 8 millimeters.” The bots operate with precise GPS technology and are accurate even in rough terrain. Using the bots means saving significant amounts of money on surveying personnel and equipment rental. The bots run on batteries. Civ Robotics is backed by Alleycorp, FF Venture Capital, Bobcat Company, Newfund Capital, Trimble Ventures, and Converge. Total VC funding to date is $12.5 million.

Video Link Below

Clean energy gets a robot boost

     I think that because these robotics solutions save so much time and money, they will quickly become standard in the industry. They will increase already fast solar deployment times, make solar a little bit cheaper, and a little bit less labor-intensive.  

     

 

References:

 

Autonomous Robots Install Solar Panels 3 Times Faster. Keren Hanson. EE Power. May 8, 2025. Autonomous Robots Install Solar Panels 3 Times Faster - News

This US company made an autonomous robot that installs solar panels. Michelle Lewis. Electrek. April 13, 2023. This US company made an autonomous robot that installs solar panels

These little robots are changing the way solar farms are built, saving time and money. Diana Olick. CNBC. August 20, 2025. These little robots are changing the way solar farms are built

Precise, Simple & Efficient Construction Layout. Civ Robotics. Robotic Surveying Equipment & Construction Layout Robot | Civ Robotics

Rosendin to Demonstrate Robotic Solar Installers at Texas Job Site. Rosendin. Press Release. April 7, 2025. Rosendin to Demonstrate Robotic Solar Installers at Texas Job Site | Rosendin Electric

 

 

Chinese Scientist Unveils Method to Extract Ultra-Pure Helium from Any Natural Gas Stream and Researchers Find that Helium can increase Rocket efficiency and Reduce Its Exhaust Plume Temperature

     This post involves two different new innovations associated with helium: new capabilities to extract high-purity helium even from low-helium natural gas and research showing that helium added to rocket fuel can increase efficiency and lower exhaust temperatures, which can improve cost. Both involve Chinese research.

 

New Technique to Extract Helium from Natural Gas with Very Low Helium Content

     Chinese scientist Rong Chengxu led research for six years to develop the technique for extracting high-purity helium from natural gas, which often contains trace quantities. The technique involves a multi-step process that includes the following:

“…catalytic dehydrogenation removes hydrogen impurities; membrane separation and pressure swing adsorption filter out gases such as nitrogen and methane; and ultra-low-temperature refining eliminates neon. This multi-layered approach has been confirmed by third-party evaluations to be at a world-class level.”

     Helium-enriched natural gas is rare. The U.S., Qatar, and Algeria are the world’s biggest helium producers, extracting helium, which occurs as 1-7% of the total gas content, often along with natural gas, nitrogen, CO2, and other inert gases like neon and argon. China’s gas fields are typically very low in helium content at 0.03-0.05% helium content.

     The new technique can yield helium at 99.99997%, where only one molecule out of a million is not pure helium. This grade is known as the 6N9 grade, which surpasses the 6N grade of 99.9999% purity. Neon impurities are below 0.3 ppm. Helium general purity grades and their uses are shown below.

     The technique will be good for China for developing domestic sources of high-purity helium. Helium demand is expected to grow in the coming years, and more geological exploration for it, as well as better extraction and some reuse and recycling of it, is likely in the future. The extraction process can operate continuously, producing up to 400,000 cubic meters of ultra-pure helium annually.

 

New Technique to Inject Helium for Rockets

     In February 2025, Interesting Engineering’s Christopher McFadden wrote about Chinese research into using helium to increase the efficiency of rockets, finding that it also decreased exhaust temperatures, which increases safety. The researchers apparently studied flaws in Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Helium is commonly used to pressurize the fuel systems of space rockets. 

     The Chinese scientists at Harbin Engineering University discovered a method to inject helium into solid-fuel rocket motors, improving thrust and stealth capabilities. They found that they could triple the rockets’ thrust and dramatically reduce the exhaust temperature. Theoretically, the drop in temperature could also make it harder to detect such rockets with infrared technology, possibly aiding stealth missions.

“If this injection is precisely controlled (about 1 part to 4 helium to combustion gases) through tiny 2mm pores, impressive results can be achieved. The team found that the rocket’s specific impulse efficiency was increased by 5.77% by doing this.”

“Furthermore, they found that the rocket engine received 300% more thrust on demand. They also found that the exhaust temperature was reduced by 2420.6°F (1,327°C), making the plume much more challenging to detect by heat-seeking sensors.”

     The technique was tested using simulations, so it is still in the research phase. The potential applications of helium-injected rocketry are significant. There are potential military as well as space travel and satellite installation applications.

“The ability to adjust thrust in real-time from 100% to 313% could allow missiles to change speeds unpredictably, making them harder to intercept. The method could also be applied to solid-fuel space launch systems, allowing quick, cost-effective deployment of satellites.”

 

     

 

References:

China develops device that extracts 99.99997% pure helium from natural gas fields. Neetika Walter. Interesting Engineering. August 27, 2025. China develops device that extracts 99.99997% pure helium from natural gas fields

Boeing Starliner’s helium headache becomes China’s missile miracle, claims study. Christopher McFadden. Interesting Engineering.  February 23, 2025. Starliner's helium headache becomes China’s missile miracle: Study