Latest news with #GatewaytoHell
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
Turkmenistan's ‘Gateway to Hell' fire, burning since 1971, now tamed
The 'Gateway to Hell', an enormous fire that has been raging in Turkmenistan for more than 50 years, has been tamed. The Turkmenistan government said that the authorities have been able to 'significantly reduce' the giant gas field fire at the Darvaza Gas Crater in the Karakum desert, which has been raging for more than half a century since 1971. According to the officials, the fire has been "reduced threefold." However, they did not specify the time frame within which this feat was achieved. "Whereas before a huge glow from the blaze was visible from several kilometres away, hence the name 'Gateway to Hell', today only a faint source of combustion remains,' Irina Luryeva, a director at state-owned energy company Turkmengaz, told news agency AFP. "Numerous wells have been drilled around the fire to capture methane," she said. Turkmenistan is one of the world's most closed countries. It is also estimated to have the world's fourth-largest gas reserves. Along with so much gas reserve, it is also the world's biggest emitter of methane through gas leaks, according to the International Energy Agency. The claim is denied by the local authorities. The Darvaza Gas Crater is a massive gas well that was ignited in 1971, when Turkmenistan was part of the Soviet Union. The crater, also known as the 'Gateway to Hell', ignited when Soviet scientists tried to experiment with it while looking for a solution to the region's excessive methane problem. A group of scientists travelled into the Karakum desert and dug a gigantic hole to study the methane leaks in the area. But what they didn't realise at the time was that they had accidentally drilled right into an underground gas field. The group decided to ignite the methane, hoping to solve the leakage problem by burning the gas off. But that simple decision created the longest continuously burning man-made fire in the world's history. The crater became a boon for Turkmenistan's economy by becoming a big tourist attraction, bringing in much-needed cash into the country. But the rightly named 'Gateway to Hell' also became a cause of severe environmental damage. While the fire was ignited in hopes of solving the methane problem in the area, it became a source of massive quantities of the gas, which is a big contributor to the global problem of climate change. According to a report by The Guardian, Methane leaks alone from Turkmenistan's two main fossil fuel fields cause more global heating a year than the entire carbon emissions of the UK.
NDTV
2 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Turkmenistan Says 'Gateway To Hell' Fire, Raging For Over 50 Years, Tamed
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. An enormous fire known as the 'Gateway to Hell' has burned in Turkmenistan for over 50 years. The Darvaza Gas Crater ignited in 1971 during a Soviet experiment to address methane leaks. Efforts to burn off methane led to the longest man-made fire in history, causing environmental damage. An enormous fire has been raging in Turkmenistan for more than 50 years and nobody has been able to tame it - yet. Known as the 'Gateway to Hell', the Darvaza Gas Crater is a massive gas well that got ignited back in 1971, when Soviet scientists tried to experiment with it. Back then, Turkmenistan was part of Soviet Union, and scientists were looking for a solution to the region's excessive methane problem. They traveled deep inside the Karakum desert and dug a gigantic hole to study the methane leaks emanating in the area. They accidentally drilled right into an underground gas field. Assuming that the fastest way to eradicate the methane leak problem was to burn it off, the scientists decided to ignite it. What followed next has become longest-ever continuously burning man-made fire in history. Though it fueled Turkmenistan's economy by becoming a tourist attraction, the 'Gateway to Hell' has caused severe environmental damage. Far from solving the methane problem, the blaze has been spewing out massive quantities of methane, a gas that contributes greatly to climate change. The current government in Turkmenistan took a pledge to do whatever it can to stop the huge blaze. This week, in a sudden announcement, they said that they have managed to significantly reduced the giant gas field fire "that has been raging for more than half a century". Officials said that the fire has been "reduced three-fold", but did not specify in what time frame. Speaking to news agency AFP, Irina Luryeva, a director at state-owned energy company Turkmengaz said, "Whereas before a huge glow from the blaze was visible from several kilometres away, hence the name 'Gateway to Hell', today only a faint source of combustion remains." "Numerous wells have been drilled around the fire to capture methane," she said at an environmental conference in Turkmenistan's capital Ashgabat on Thursday. Turkmenistan is one of the world's most closed countries and is estimated to have the world's fourth largest gas reserves. It is also the world's biggest emitter of methane through gas leaks, according to the International Energy Agency - a claim denied by the authorities. According to a report in British daily The Guardian, Methane leaks alone from Turkmenistan's two main fossil fuel fields causes more global heating a year than the entire carbon emissions of the UK.
Observer
3 days ago
- Observer
Turkmenistan reduces 50-year fire dubbed ‘Gateway to Hell'
Ashgabat: Turkmenistan said on Thursday it had significantly reduced a gas fire that has been raging for half a century at a site dubbed the "Gateway to Hell" . The fire has been burning in the Karakum desert since 1971, when Soviet scientists accidentally drilled into an underground pocket of gas and then decided to ignite it. The blaze has been spewing out massive quantities of methane, a gas that contributes to climate change, ever since. Officials said the fire — which has become the reclusive country's top tourist attraction — had been reduced three-fold, without specifying the time frame. "Whereas before a huge glow from the blaze was visible from several kilometres away, hence the name 'Gateway to Hell', today only a faint source of combustion remains," said Irina Luryeva, a director at state-owned energy company Turkmengaz. Numerous wells have been drilled around the fire to capture methane, she said at an environmental conference in the capital Ashgabat. Turkmenistan — one of the world's most closed countries — is estimated to have the world's fourth largest gas reserves. It is the world's biggest emitter of methane through gas leaks, according to the International Energy Agency — a claim denied by the authorities. — AFP
France 24
3 days ago
- France 24
Turkmenistan reduces 50-year fire dubbed 'Gateway to Hell'
The fire has been burning in the Karakum desert since 1971, when Soviet scientists accidentally drilled into an underground pocket of gas and then decided to ignite it. The blaze has been spewing out massive quantities of methane, a gas that contributes to climate change, ever since. Officials said the fire -- which has become the reclusive country's top tourist attraction -- had been reduced three-fold, without specifying the time frame. "Whereas before a huge glow from the blaze was visible from several kilometres away, hence the name 'Gateway to Hell', today only a faint source of combustion remains," said Irina Luryeva, a director at state-owned energy company Turkmengaz. Numerous wells have been drilled around the fire to capture methane, she said at an environmental conference in the capital Ashgabat. Turkmenistan -- one of the world's most closed countries -- is estimated to have the world's fourth largest gas reserves. It is the world's biggest emitter of methane through gas leaks, according to the International Energy Agency -- a claim denied by the authorities.
