There is a natural gas well known as ‘Hell Gate’ or Derveze Pit or Derveze gas crater in Derveze district in Turkmenistan’s Ahal province. Located in the middle of the vast Karakum Desert, Hell’s Gate has been burning for more than 50 years and attracts many curious tourists.
Now, a move has come from the government of Turkmenistan towards the Gate of Hell. Citing economic and environmental concerns as the reason, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov announced to state television that he wanted the flames that have been burning in the pit since 1971 to be extinguished and that the authorities were assigned to find a solution to this issue.
Extinguishing orders given
First, let’s talk about the emergence of this pit. In 1971, the Soviet Union, which wanted to find hydrocarbon deposits, caused the pit to form as a result of a setback in a drilling operation in the region.
Then, these authorities set the 20-meter-deep and 70-meter-wide Hell Gate on fire to prevent the spread of dangerous gases. Believing that the fire would go out in a few days, the authorities made another mistake and caused the Gate of Hell, which had been burning with a 400-degree fire for more than half a century.
President of Turkmenistan Berdimuhamedov stated that this pit, which has been burning for a long time, harms both the environment and the people in the region, and stated that he instructed the authorities to extinguish the fire. It was also emphasized in the statements made by Berdimuhamedov that this pit, which could be an important source of income, was wasted. There have been previous attempts to extinguish the Gate of Hell, also known as the Shining of Karakum; but unsuccessful results were obtained.
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