THE DOOR TO HELL BY MUHD HAZIQ

Today, let move on from Japan to Turkmenistan where The Door to Hell is located.Through the pictures you can find in internet, it is really awesome to watch this field.  Door to Hell also known as Darvaza Gas Crater is situated near the Darvaza village. It is in the middle of the Karakum Desert, which about 260 kilometres north of Ashgabat . The gas reserve found here is one of the largest  on earth. The name "Door to Hell" was given by the locals, which  refers to the fire, boiling mud, and orange flames in the large hole that has a diameter of more than 60 meters and 20 meters deep.

Door to Hell in 2011

HISTORY AND SCIENCE

It was in 1971 when a group of soviet petroleum geologist set out to explore Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan. For your information, about 70% of Turkmenistan is occupied by the Karakum Desert. Basically, they were looking for oil field but the region also rich in natural gas. It was also thought to be a significant oil field site. The engineers set up a drilling rig and camp nearby specifically in Ashgabat and started drilling operations to estimate the quantity of gas reserve available at the site. As the Soviets were excited with the success of finding the gas resources, they started store the gas they found. But unnoticed to them, they drilled right over a big cavernous pocket of natural gas and soon, The ground beneath the drilling rig and camp collapsed into a wide crater and disappeared. Fortunate for them, no live was lost at that time.

Location of The Door of Hell in Turkmenistan

Frighting  the further release of poisonous gases which make it harder to breath when nearby from the cavern, the engineers decided to burn the gas off. Natural gas composed primarily from methane. Methane in fact is easy to explode! becoming combustible in air at levels as low as 5%. Eventhough there are no global warming back then, it is worth to point out that methane is greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Anyway there are 2 choices for the soviet union scientists; Let the dangerous methane vent into the air or light the crater on fire. The decision has been made. They believed that it would be safer to burn it than to extract it from underground through expensive methods. At that time, expectations were that the gas would burn out within a few weeks, but has continued to burn more than four decades after it was set on fire and no one knows when it will be ended.

TOURISM

Eventhough it is generally man-made disaster, surprisingly the burning holes is appealing more and more interest all over the world every year, especially among foreign tourists, boosting the tourism itself at once. Let me tell you something, although it is hot to be near the crater, it's view is beautiful especially at night. Foreign tourists who visit the burning crater can feel the mixed emotions - awe at the first sight but also at the profligacy of the Turk people, who have simply let the gas burns for so many years.

Panorama Door to Hell at night

Last words, for those who are planning to go there, just go on with your plan. Maybe it will be the most bizarre plus amazing destination for holiday on your list.