Door to Hell

40.252558.439444444444Koordinaten: 40 ° 15 ' 9 " N, 58 ° 26' 22" E

The crater of Derweze located in the Karakum desert near the village of Derweze in Turkmenistan. It was formed in 1971 in the search for gas reserves. Since the crater since 1971 is on fire because of the gas flowing out, the locals have given the name of the hole gate to hell.

The area around Derweze is rich in natural gas. While drilling in 1971, geologists found a gas -filled underground cave by accident. The floor of the drilling platform collapsed, thereby forming a large hole with a diameter of about 70 m was formed.

To avoid the release of toxic gas, it was decided to torch it. Contrary to the original hope of geologists extinguished the fire did not after a few days but is still active.

In addition to collecting the methane gas flaring is safer and more environmentally friendly than the escape into the atmosphere. Methane has a much higher global warming potential than its combustion product carbon dioxide.

Since Turkmenistan plans to increase its production of natural gas, the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has in April 2010 attended and arranged that this should be closed, or other measures are taken in order to influence the development of other natural gas fields in the area the hole reduce.