Derweze, A Door to Hell in Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan is seventy percent desert – the Karakum Desert, to be exact. The nation is divided into five administrative divisions, the second largest being the Ahal Welayat which is located to the south-central portion of the country. Ahal is almost entirely desert and contains just fourteen percent of the country’s population, but it is also rich in natural resource deposits. Within this region, you will find an interesting place called Derweze or Darvaza (A Door).

The Derweze area is rich in natural gas. When Soviet scientists discovered a cache of oil reserves near the town of Derweze in the Karakum Desert, drilling quickly commenced.  While drilling in 1971, they selected this location to drill a hole which is filled with natural gas. The ground beneath the drilling rig collapsed, leaving a large hole with a diameter of 70 metres which is approximately 230 feet. The camp is filled into a poisonous sinkhole. Amazingly no lives were lost in the disaster, but large quantities of methane gases were released into the atmosphere. This created a significant environmental concern while frightening the health of the Derweze villagers. When methane (a dangerous greenhouse gas) is burned, it is a greater contributor to global warming than carbon dioxide. To avoid poisonous gas discharge, the geologists determined the best course of action was to set the crater on fire. Burning off the excess methane over several days would be far cheaper and safer than using expensive equipment for extraction.  But the gas is still burning today. Unfortunately, initial estimations of the site’s reserves were extremely low; when the scientists lit the gas, it erupted and didn’t stop burning. Locals quickly dubbed the site the “Door to Hell” and the Gas Crater of Darvaza.

The unpleasant smell of burning sulphur permeates the area for hundreds of yards in every direction while its recesses spit boiling mud with orange flames thrashing high from the molten rock. Over forty years later, the fire still burns. The President of Turkmenistan ordered the village of Derweze to separate in 2004. Leader Saparmurat Niyazov appealed the village was an unpleasant sight for tourists to the crater. In April of 2010 Turkmenistan leader Berdimuhamedow visited the Door to Hell and ordered it to be closed. The exposed burning crater hinders additional drilling in the area rich in natural resources. With the crater closed, Turkmenistan could resume drilling and provide more revenue. But by July of 2013 no action has been taken and the Darvaza gas crater fire still burns.

Since the disaster in 1971 there has been little exploration in the Karakum Desert. Turkmenistan has concentrated its effort in the Caspian Sea at Dauletabad-Donmez by the Iranian border and along the Amu-Darya Basin bordering Uzbekistan. Turkmenistan has the fourth-largest reserve of natural gas in the world, and currently produces 75 billion cubic meters each year

The rulers of that country has announced to clean up the site for further exploration of natural gases.. But until the country is given financial assistance or pressured politically, it appears unlikely the Door will be closed any time soon.