A practical solution has been found to eliminate the famous “Gate of Hell” gas crater, located in the Central Karakum desert and burning for more than half a century. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
Specialists from the Natural Gas Research Institute under the Turkmengaz State Concern provided this information. According to them, the problem can be solved by redirecting gas flows through new wells and using special drilling operations.
After thoroughly studying the geological and hydrodynamic characteristics of the area, the experts proposed drilling a new appraisal well at the Chaljulba field. This approach is expected to allow the majority of the gas to be redirected to new wells, thereby significantly reducing the volume of gas burning in the crater.
The “Gate of Hell” crater is located about 260 kilometers north of Ashgabat, near the village of Darvaza. It was formed as a result of a geological disaster in 1963 (according to some sources, in 1971). At that time, the gas was deliberately ignited to reduce its toxic effects.
However, because the gas reserves are multi-layered, the burning has continued until now. The crater has a diameter of 60 meters and a depth of nearly 20 meters, making it a notable attraction for tourists.
The Turkmenistan leadership has paid attention to this issue several times. In particular, orders were given to extinguish the crater in 2010 and 2022.
The head of state noted that this process causes ecological damage, negatively affects public health, and wastes economic resources. The newly developed scientific approach is aimed at solving this problem.
If this method proves effective in practice, the uncontrolled burning of the crater known as the “Gate of Hell,” which has lasted for decades, may finally be stopped. This is expected to be an important step both ecologically and economically.
