Turkmenistan President Plans to Close 'Gates of Hell' Due to Economic Concerns

In a gigantic natural gas crater in Turkmenistan, called the "Gateway to Hell," Turkmenistan's strongman leader has instructed specialists to find a solution to extinguish a massive five-decade-old inferno finally.

(Photo : Photo by Tormod Sandtorv)
Burning gate to hell

Gates of Hell

The Darvaza gas crater, also known as the Door to Hell or Gates of Hell, is a natural gas field near Darvaza, Turkmenistan, collapsed into a cavern.

There are no accurate records of how the crater exploded, and certain aspects are contested. One standard theory is that Soviet geologists lit it on fire in 1971 to prevent the spread of methane gas, and it has been burning ever since, according to one theory. The size of the gas crater is 5,350 m2. It has a diameter of 69 meters and a depth of 30 meters.

Engineers decided to burn the gas off because they expected hazardous leaks of harmful gases from the cavern onto adjacent communities. The gas was intended to burn out in a few weeks, but it has been burning for more than 50 years and is projected to continue to do so.

The crater's early years are unknown: local geologists believe the hole collapsed around the 1960s, and the gases were not lit on fire until the 1980s. However, there are no recordings of either the Soviet or Turkmen version of events accessible.

The crater has grown in popularity as a tourist destination. Wild desert camping is also popular in the vicinity.

Governmental Concern

(Photo : Photo by Bjørn Christian Tørrissen)

President Berdimuhamedow urged that efforts be implemented to prevent the crater's effect on developing other natural gas reserves in the vicinity during his April 2010 visit. Turkmenistan announced intentions to enhance its natural gas output, to increase gas exports to numerous countries, including Pakistan, China, India, Iran, Russia, and Western Europe, from its current annual production level of 225 billion cubic meters (7.9 trillion cubic feet) by 2030.

Closing the Gates

President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov appeared on national television Saturday to instruct officials to put out the fires at the Darvaza gas crater in the center of the vast Karakum desert, citing environmental and economic concerns.

Since a Soviet drilling operation went wrong in 1971, Berdymukhamedov has also instructed scientists to discover a solution to put out the fires.

The man-made crater, according to President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, "negatively impacts both the environment and the health of the people living nearby."

In his remarks, he stated, "We are losing tremendous natural resources for which we might make enormous profits and use them to improve the well-being of our people."

Officials were told by Berdymukhamedov to "find a method to put out the fire."