Helium is a naturally occurring, inert gas commonly associated with oil and gas accumulations. Although it generally constitutes less than two percent of the total gas stream, its occurrence within specific stratigraphic intervals and geographic areas can shed light on gas migration pathways within a basin. Moreover, the recent rise in helium prices and contemporaneous drop in oil and gas commodities has piqued commercial interests where oil and gas infrastructure, insight, and expertise is readily available. Most petroleum explorationists are not familiar with helium exploration; however, a widespread and common method may be easily modified for our purposes: the petroleum system. Like a petroleum system, an inert gas (helium, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, etc.) system is identified by its source rock, reservoir, trap, seal, and migration pathway. To illustrate these elements, a case study from the Uinta basin of eastern Utah and Piceance basins of northwestern Colorado will be shown. These basins produce nearly two percent of the total natural gas in the United States and contribute appreciable amounts of helium from various geologic formations. Two helium systems are identified and tentatively called the Uncompahgre and Uinta systems; named after their interpreted “source rock” intervals. The helium gas, as well as nitrogen and carbon dioxide, are believed to migrate through basinal brine systems until trapped in conventional petroleum traps. These gases are found primarily in the Entrada, Morrison, Dakota, and Frontier formations, as well as the Prairie Canyon Member of the Mancos Shale. The Mancos Shale provides a basin-wide seal for both helium systems and prevents significant leakage to the younger Mesaverde, Wasatch, and Green River gas-productive intervals.