Why Turkmenistan wants to close its biggest tourist attraction

The Darvaza gas crater, better known as the Gates of Inferno, is a fire that has been burning for decades in the desert in Turkmenistan, a country located in central Asia.

Located in the Karakum desert, this 70 meter wide (229 ft) and around 30 meter deep (98 ft) crater is one of the main tourist attractions in the area.

But the president of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedow, is looking for a way to put out the fire that rises from the arid land. He wants to close the door of Darvaza for good.

Photo: Unsplash - Snowscat

Among the reasons mentioned by the president are the health of the populations near the Karakum desert and the fact that constant extreme heat affects the environment.

The authorities assure that the constant loss of natural gas, due to combustion, supposes a waste of natural resources that could be used in many ways.

It is believed that the Darvaz gas crater dates back to the 1970s.

The most widespread version of the origin in the country points to a Soviet expedition that, back in 1971 and in search of gas, drilled in the wrong area, causing a gas pocket to explode that created the crater and three sinkholes.

To prevent the methane gases from being expelled into the atmosphere, geological experts chose to set the gas on fire, in what could be considered a mistake since it caused a fire that can’t be put out.

Geologists thought that the gas would burn for a few weeks and eventually go out, but the gas is still coming out and the fire is still burning, more than 50 years later.

However, Canadian explorer George Kourounis, who visited the area on an expedition for National Geographic, acknowledges that it is not possible to know the real origin of this crater. He found no information, documents, or neighbors who knew of the origin.

Photo: Unsplash - Snowscat

George Kourounis went so far as to assure, upon seeing the crater in person, that "it was the kind of place from which Satan himself could emerge. "Without doubt calling it the ‘Gate of Inferno’ is appropriate.

The question is, how are they going to close this giant crater? As confirmed by the official national newspaper Neytralny Turkmenistan, local scientists are looking for a solution.

Photo: Unsplash - Ybrayym Esenov

However, if local scientists can’t find it, they won’t hesitate to ask for help from foreign consultants, in order to find a plausible way to close this infernal gate for good.

Despite the fact that the ‘Gateway to Inferno’ has become a must-see point for all tourists traveling to Turkmenistan, the Turkmen president has been clear about closing it.

No matter how many tourists this devilish fire attracts, the money the country loses with the gas that permanently escapes from the crater is much higher.

The researcher Jeronim Perovic calculated, according to statements collected by the BBC, that the amount of natural gas that the crater can let out is around 16,000 cubic meters per year: "What Switzerland uses in a year."

However, at the moment there are no technical specifications or a clear plan to close Turkmenistan’s famous ‘Gateway to Inferno.’