Turkmenistan’s “Gateway to Hell” is a fiery pit that has burned continuously since 1971. After over half a century, the inferno may finally be subsiding.
Officially called the Darvaza crater, it sits in the middle of the Karakum Desert. How the 69m wide, and 30m deep hole formed is a bit of a mystery. Some believe the pit was created by Soviet geologists in 1971. While drilling for oil, they hit a vast underground gas pocket. The ground surrounding it collapsed, forming three huge sinkholes. To prevent the hazardous methane gas from escaping, the team set the crater on fire. Apparently, they assumed the fire burn out in a few weeks, but the flames have persisted for over five decades.
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An alternative beginning
Though this is the most common explanation, geologists from Turkmenistan have said the crater actually formed in the 1960s and was ignited in the 1980s. As its creation happened when Turkmenistan was part of the Soviet Union, any records to clarify the crater’s origin are hard to come by.
Regardless of its beginnings, the Darvaza crater has been a significant source of methane emissions. The greenhouse gas has gushed into the atmosphere for over 50 years. Turkmenistan has faced scrutiny for its methane output and inability to curb methane gas leaks. This not only produces harmful emissions but wastes natural gas. For decades, scientists and environmentalists have been calling for the fire to be extinguished.
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In recent years, the Turkmenistan government has intensified efforts to lessen the crater’s environmental impact. By drilling several wells around the site to siphon off methane, engineers have reduces the fuel feeding the fire. Now, as a result, the flames have finally started to diminish.
Irina Luryeva, a director at the state-owned energy company Turkmengaz, noted that the blaze, once visible from several kilometers away, now emits only a faint glow. Officials report that the fires are now three times smaller than they were.
Yet this so-called Gateway to Hell has become the secretive country’s top tourist attraction, drawing visitors intrigued by its otherworldly appearance. Tour operators have expressed concern over the potential decline in tourism as the flames wane.
