half a century later, his flames are going out

In the heart of Karakum deserta vast extension of dune burned by the sun that covers about 70% of Turkmenistanthere is a place that breaks with the monotony of the landscape. There, between sand crests and without asphalting roads, the Darvaza cratera cavity of 70 meters in diameter known as the ‘Hell door‘.

Its origin, like many episodes inherited from the Soviet era, is wrapped in contradictory versions and incomplete documents. The most cited theory holds that in 1971 a team of Soviet geologists pierced in search of oil when he found a natural gas bag. The land gave in and several sinks were formed. To avoid a methane leak, they would have decided to set fire to one of them. They thought it would be extinguished in a few days. Half a century later, the flame is still alive.

Half a century later, the flame begins to extinguish

Now, no version is confirmed. According to the Canadian explorer George Kouounis, First person to explore the crater in 2013not even local geologists agree. Some place training in the sixties and ignition in the eighties. Others talk about a grenade or even neighbors of a nearby town who preferred to light the crater to avoid bad odors or risk of poisoning. There are no public documents of the Soviet era that clarify the event, and the existing records could continue to be confidential.

The truth is that, regardless of its origin, the crater has become the main tourist claim of a country that I barely receive 15,000 visitors a year. Every night, the glow of the flames illuminates the sky of the karakum and attracts travelers willing to travel four hours from Asjabad on a double -meaning road and sand roads. Visits have been professionalized: today there are several camps, such as Garagum, with housing in yurts, solar lighting and outdoor dinners next to the edge of the crater.

But that fire could go out. In recent years, the Turkmenistan government has shown interest in extinguishing it. This week, During the TESC Environmental Conference held in Ashgabad, Irina Luryeva, director of the Institute for Natural Gas Research, reported concrete progress: previously sealed wells have been reactivated, drilled new to capture the residual gas, and The volume of flames has decreased visibly. The British Capterio company, specialized in satellite data, confirmed that combustion intensity has been reduced more than three times since 2013.

Darvaza’s flames, which for decades have symbolized both the power and unpredictability of the country’s energy resources, have begun to diminish. And it is no accident. Turkmenistan, frequently indicated for its lack of transparency and authoritarianismhas begun to move internationally with concrete environmental promises: reduce its methane emissions by 2030. As part of that commitment, the authorities have activated a technical roadmap to contain the gas flow in the area.

Images | Richard Mortel (1, 2, 3) CC by 2.0

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