all commercial helium is recovered from natural gas. helium usually makes up a minuscule portion of natural gas, but can make up as much as 10 percent of natural gas in some fields. a helium content of 0.3 percent or more is considered necessary for commercial helium extraction. in 2012, helium was recovered at 16 extraction plants, from gas wells in colorado, kansas, oklahoma, texas, and wyoming. one extraction plant in utah was idle in 2012.