This Gas Crater, a giant hole of fire is in the heart of the Karakum Desert , Darweze, Turkmenistan.
1. The Derweze area is rich in natural gas. While drilling in 1971, Soviet geologists tapped into a cavern filled with natural gas. The ground beneath the drilling rig collapsed, leaving a large hole with a diameter of 70 metres. To avoid poisonous gas discharge, it was decided the best solution was to burn it off. Geologists had hoped the fire would use all the fuel in a matter of days, but the gas is still burning today. Locals have dubbed the cavern "The Door to Hell".
2. It’s also worth noting that Turkmenistan has been named by Human Rights Watch as “one of the world’s most repressive” countries.
3. Although the country's natural gas reserves rank fifth in the world, development of gas exports is hampered by a lack of gas pipeline routes outside its landlocked borders.
4. Turkmenistan has the fourth largest reserves of natural gas in the world, producing about 75 billion cubic meters of gas each year.
5. Krasowski visited the gas crater in 2009. He poetically described it as the "greatest campfire in the world."
6. Unfortunatley, the methane-emitting cave is making it difficult to drill nearby gas fields, hindering Turkmenistan's plans to triple its production.
7. A near limitless supply of natural gas beneath the crater continues to fuel the fire.
1. The Derweze area is rich in natural gas. While drilling in 1971, Soviet geologists tapped into a cavern filled with natural gas. The ground beneath the drilling rig collapsed, leaving a large hole with a diameter of 70 metres. To avoid poisonous gas discharge, it was decided the best solution was to burn it off. Geologists had hoped the fire would use all the fuel in a matter of days, but the gas is still burning today. Locals have dubbed the cavern "The Door to Hell".
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| . Photo by Brian Shrader |
3. Although the country's natural gas reserves rank fifth in the world, development of gas exports is hampered by a lack of gas pipeline routes outside its landlocked borders.
4. Turkmenistan has the fourth largest reserves of natural gas in the world, producing about 75 billion cubic meters of gas each year.
5. Krasowski visited the gas crater in 2009. He poetically described it as the "greatest campfire in the world."
6. Unfortunatley, the methane-emitting cave is making it difficult to drill nearby gas fields, hindering Turkmenistan's plans to triple its production.
7. A near limitless supply of natural gas beneath the crater continues to fuel the fire.
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| Photo by Martha de Jong-Lantink |
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