Turkmenistan Cuts Giant 'Gateway to Hell' Gas Fire After 50 Years

Photo : AFP

For more than 50 years, a huge fire has been burning in Turkmenistan. This fire is in a place called the Darvaza Gas Crater, but many people know it as the "Gateway to Hell." It started back in 1971 when Soviet scientists accidentally set fire to a large gas field while trying to fix a problem with methane gas leaking from the ground.

At that time, Turkmenistan was part of the Soviet Union. Scientists were working deep in the Karakum desert to find a way to stop the methane gas from leaking. They dug a big hole to study the leaks, but they accidentally hit a gas field underground. To solve the problem, they decided to burn off the gas. However, the fire never went out and has been burning nonstop ever since.

This fire became famous and even brought tourists to Turkmenistan. But it also caused serious damage to the environment because it releases large amounts of methane, a gas that makes climate change worse.

Stay informed with the latest news. Follow DXB News Network on WhatsApp Channel    

Recently, the government of Turkmenistan promised to do everything it can to stop this giant fire. This week, they announced they have managed to reduce the size of the fire a lot. Officials said the fire has shrunk to one-third of its previous size, but they did not say how long this took.

Irina Luryeva, a director at Turkmengaz, the state energy company, said that the fire used to be very bright and could be seen from many kilometers away. Now, only a small flame is left. She also said that many new wells have been drilled around the fire to catch methane gas.

Turkmenistan is known for being a very secretive country. It is believed to have the fourth largest natural gas reserves in the world. However, it is also said to be the biggest source of methane leaks from gas fields, which is very harmful to the climate. The country denies this claim.

A report from the British newspaper The Guardian says that methane leaks from just two of Turkmenistan’s main gas fields cause more damage to the Earth’s climate each year than the entire carbon emissions of the United Kingdom.

The effort to reduce the fire is a big step for Turkmenistan. It shows that the country is trying to protect the environment and reduce pollution caused by this long-burning flame.