Tumbleweed Midstream acquired the Ladder Creek Helium Plant and Gathering System in late 2019. The company is laser-focused on maximizing returns for producers of helium from the large concentration of rare helium reserves near the Colorado-Kansas border.
Tumbleweed’s Ladder Creek Helium Plant uses state-of-the-art cryogenic processes to extract helium and natural gas liquids from raw natural gas. The helium is further purified to 99.999 percent, and its temperature is reduced to negative 458 degrees Fahrenheit for transport to customers as a liquid.
Producers outside the Ladder Creek gathering system may ship unpurified helium to the Ladder Creek Helium Plant in gaseous form. Tumbleweed purifies the helium to meet buyer specifications and liquefies it for transport to market.