Everything that got into Darvaz is unlikely to ever be able to get out. What is alive, what is inanimate: fire bursts out of the ground with great force, splitting into a huge number of torches and reaching incredible heights. Nothing will survive, except, perhaps, unique little bacteria that thrive at just such a temperature, and the desperate Canadian explorer George Koronis, who is the first person in the world who managed to visit the very bottom of the crater.

There is a fiery crater in Darvaza, 270 km from Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, in a northerly direction. The area here is extremely deserted: animals, smelling a harmful smell, bypass this place, and people prefer to settle further away.

There are few tourists here: to see the Darvaza gas crater, you need to overcome hot sands, and the nearest village, the village of Erbent, is almost a hundred kilometers away. It is noteworthy that the name of both the desert and the village itself, where this amazing phenomenon is located, is translated quite symbolically: “Karakum” means “black sands”, and “Darvaz” means “Door”. It is not at all strange that the fire that appeared in the desert, as it turned out, was fireproof, the locals called the "Gates of Hell."

What is a fire crater

This unique well appeared after geologists discovered an extremely promising field near the village of Darvaz in 1971 (which is not surprising, especially considering that Turkmenistan is in fourth place in the world in terms of natural gas reserves).

They could not leave such a find unattended, and began to carry out exploration work: first excavations, then drilling. And they came across a cavern - a small cavity in the rock, which most likely arose during the solidification of lava saturated with gas.

As a result, a huge hole was formed in the earth's crust, into which all the equipment used for drilling operations fell: drilling rig, equipment, transport (fortunately, human casualties were avoided). And gas began to escape through the newly formed crack.

According to the official version, so that the gas dangerous for people and animals would not come to the surface, it was decided to set it on fire with the expectation that after a while it would completely burn out - and the fire would go out. This is where the scientists made a mistake: the deposit in this area turned out to be so large that since 1971, the fire has been blazing to this day.

Some residents of Darvaz argue that this decision was not made so quickly, it dragged on for a long time and point to other dates: drilling, they say, they were carried out in the sixties, and the gas was set on fire already in the early eighties.

Now we have the opportunity to observe the amazing phenomenon of Darvaz, which is not like it in the whole world: an indomitable fire constantly blazing from the bowels of the earth (it is believed that during this time several billion cubic meters of natural gas have already burned here).

The view of the fiery phenomenon Darvaz is impressive:

• The diameter of the "Gates of Hell" is sixty meters (the size of half a football field);
• Depth - twenty meters (the height of a seven-story building);
• The fires from the well soar to a height of 10 to 15 m. First, natural gas enters the Darvaz well from the bowels of the earth, after which it finds itself in the middle of the fire and begins to burn. Lighting up, it is divided into a huge number of lights that fly up.

Scientists could not solve the unexpected problem. Therefore, the village of Darvaz was demolished for security purposes, and people were relocated to other areas (this was done in 2004).

And some time later, in 2010, the President of Turkmenistan instructed to solve the problem with the "Gates of Hell" and develop a specific, scientifically based program to eliminate the anomaly, which is not only dangerous for the environment, but also negatively affects gas production in other fields region, simply depleting them. When developing the plan, he ordered that the environmental aspect be taken into account (taking into account the protection of the unique natural environment of the desert in the Darvaz region).

Journey of George Koronis

While scientists are thinking about how to extinguish the fiery Darvaz crater of Turkmenistan, at the end of autumn 2013, the Canadian traveler and explorer George Koronis decided to go through the Gates of Hell and descend to the bottom of the crater. The purpose of his expedition was to collect soil from the bottom of the fire well for further study in order to determine whether at least some organisms are able to survive in such conditions.

In order to descend to the bottom of the fiery crater, Koronis had to properly prepare, namely, obtain permission, assemble a team, prepare and test equipment - for this, for training purposes, he repeatedly descended from a cliff above the river using special climbing equipment, being dressed in a heat-proof suit and with a breathing apparatus (at the same time, clothes and other equipment were made of Kevlar, a special material with a high density and capable of withstanding temperatures of about 500 ° C).

George Koronis also hired a stuntman to set it on fire (so that in the future, finding himself in a fiery crater among the burning flames of Darvaz, the researcher would not panic).

Despite careful and lengthy preparations, the descent was not easy for him and was like traveling to another planet. According to him, the researcher did not have time to get scared: he was too busy - it was necessary to monitor the respiratory apparatus, the ropes with which he descended, to film, etc.

Below, Koronis was lucky: there he not only collected soil, but also found unique bacteria that do not live on the earth's surface at all and feel great only under certain conditions (in this case, at the bottom of a hot crater). Such a find is especially important for those who study astrobiology: apparently, conditions on planets outside the solar system are extremely reminiscent of the Darvaza gas crater.

When Coronis returned, he called Hellgate the Colosseum of Fire, because there are thousands of small fires burning everywhere - and at the same time, surprisingly, there is no smoke anywhere, only a sound is heard - powerful, forcing, reminiscent of the roar of a jet engine.

If hell exists on Earth, then it is located near the small town of Darvaza (translated as “door”) in Turkmenistan. This sinister place is located in the Karakum desert.

Darvaza (Persian "gate") is a gas crater in Turkmenistan. But locals and travelers call it the "Door to the Underworld", or the "Gate of Hell".

"Gates of Hell" are located 90 km from the village of Erbent. The diameter of the crater is approximately 60 meters, the depth is about 20 meters.

On the edge. (Photo by Tormod Sandtorv):

Anyone who accidentally falls into the crater will face imminent death, as all of its bottom is covered with flames, some of which reach a height of 15 meters. (Photo by Neil Melville):

The gates of hell in Turkmenistan were discovered in 1971, when Soviet geologists found an accumulation of underground gas near the village of Darvaza. (Photo by Martha de Jong-Lantink):

(Photo by Flydime):

(Photo by Mike Moss):

As a result of excavations and drilling of an exploratory well, geologists stumbled upon an underground cavern (emptiness), due to which the earth collapsed and a large hole filled with gas formed. The drilling rig with all the equipment and vehicles fell into the resulting hole, people were not injured in this incident.

Panorama. Hell Gate. Turkmenistan. Clickable, 3000×759 . (Photo by Neil Melville):

To prevent the gases harmful to people and livestock from escaping, they decided to set them on fire. Geologists assumed that the fire would go out in a few days, but they were wrong. Since 1971, natural gas escaping from the crater has been burning continuously day and night.

Clickable, 1600×1063 . (Photo by Brian Schrader):

Aerial view. (Photo by Bing Maps | Microsoft | DigitalGlobe):

(Photo by Martha de Jong-Lantinky):

“Nothing that gets inside can no longer get out. Any living being is doomed. Once in the afterlife through these "doors", no one can get out. Buzzing and bursting with hot air crater with a diameter of 60 and a depth of 20 meters. Gas comes from underground, splitting into hundreds of burning torches of different sizes. In some torches, flames reach 10-15 meters in height.

Clickable, 3000×1240 px. (Photo by Tormod Sandtorv):

Not far from the burning crater there are two more similar failures of a similar origin. These craters do not burn, the gas pressure here is much weaker. At the bottom of one of the craters there is bubbling liquid mud of a light gray color, at the bottom of the other there is a liquid of a turquoise hue. (Photo by Flydime):

(Photo by Neil Melville):

Hell Gate. Turkmenistan. (Photo by Ryan G):

(Photo by Flydime):

And who knows what is there, inside ... (Photo from the movie "Konstantin"):

They actually exist!)) Gates to hell, Gates of hell, Door to the underworld - this is how this unusual place in Turkmenistan is called. This is a deep cave in the middle of the Karakum desert, inside which a fire is constantly burning, making a terrible impression and attracting the attention of tourists.

The burning crater undoubtedly attracts people - and scares away animals and all other living creatures. The fact is that it smells terrible and threatens death. Now in order. In this place, where the Gate is now, a natural gas field was discovered in 1971. They began to develop it - but they stumbled upon an underground void, a cavern, as a result, the entire tower with vehicles and equipment (though there were no casualties) fell into the ground.

The gas began to come out, and in order to avoid its impact on the environment and poisoning, they decided to set it on fire (at least, it was stated that way. It is not a fact that it was accidentally, inadvertently not set on fire))). Since then, since 1971, it has been burning - like a huge eternal flame. How many cubic meters of precious fuel released into the air - no one knows. In those years, the crater could not be extinguished technically - now, most likely, there is a possibility, but the gas continues to burn. In 2010, the President of Turkmenistan visited this place, ordered to fill it up, extinguish it - in general, stop burning.

The cave is huge - its diameter is about 60 meters, the depth is about 20 meters, the height of the flame in some places is up to 15 meters. There are many fires - gas burns with hundreds of torches. If you fall into a cave, you are unlikely to get out without outside help ...

This is where I personally do not pull - although those who saw it "live" say that it is terribly beautiful and makes a tremendous impression. I don't doubt it...

Trips

Thursday, 08/28/2014 Thursday, 08/28/2014

The gates of hell are in Asia

Imagine that people have created a huge gas burner with their own hands, which has been blazing with hellish flames day and night for many decades. Does this sound like fantasy to you?

In the early 70s, the Soviet government ordered to look for gas in the territory of the Karakum desert. Geologists really discovered a large accumulation of underground gas here and began to drill a well, but soon stumbled upon an underground void. And, to the dismay of scientists, as a result of a design error, the roof over the gas cave collapsed into hell along with all the machines and the drilling rig. It's a miracle that no one died.

However, what was to be done now, because right next to the settlement a huge hole was formed, exuding poisonous gas. It was decided to set fire to the crater. Scientists believed that in a few days the gas would burn out, and they would be able to continue working. But that didn't happen...

For more than 40 years, a fire has been burning in the middle of the desert. The gas is continuously coming from underground, splitting into hundreds of burning torches of various sizes. From the side, the crater resembles a volcano with boiling lava. A hole 70 meters in diameter and 36 meters deep illuminates the desert for many kilometers around. Sometimes the flames rise to 10-15 meters, and if you stand on the edge of the abyss, you will feel incredible heat.

Today, the "devil's place" is located on the route along the Ashgabat-Karakum-Dashoguz highway, not far from the village of Darvaza, which means "gate" in translation. Therefore, the locals call the fire-breathing hole spread out here the “Gates of Hell”. If something falls inside, it will certainly burn, any living being will be doomed. As they say in American horror, "The gates of hell can be opened, but they will never close." Will these words become prophetic for the Turkmen anomaly? Apparently, the fire will not go out on its own for many decades.

Of course, the wonder of the world greatly worries the leadership of the country. In 2004, they finally began to resettle local residents away from the crater. More than once it was said about the need to fill the hole in general, because the fire interferes with gas production in the area. But so far no one is doing this, perhaps because this place attracts curious tourists and scientists, and the government of Turkmenistan is simply sorry to lose such an item of income.

Nearby there are 2 more craters, also resulting from the failure, Mud and Emerald, but they are much less amazing, and therefore they are almost never mentioned, although they are also beautiful in their own way.

A huge part of the territory of Turkmenistan is occupied by the desert. And most of the national wealth is natural gas. A burning crater near the village of Darvaza deserves special attention. This gas crater is one of the most popular tourist attractions. And the unrealistic photos and videos with the title “Gate to Hell”, which show how fire erupts from the ground in the desert, have probably already been seen by many.

The sight of a flame that burns among the yellow sands of the desert intrigues and fascinates even travelers who have already seen a lot. But not everyone knows exactly how this mysterious place appeared, which is located 265 kilometers north of the city of Ashgabat.

Darvaza crater

The gas crater in Darvaz (from Persian - “gates”) is located in the Zaunguz Karakum desert, which translates as “black sands” on the border of Dashoguz and Akhal velayats, which is in the north-west of Turkmenistan, 90 kilometers from the village of Yerbent. It is located in the middle of the road that leads from Ashgabat to Kunya-Urgench. From Ashgabat to Darvaza there are 260 km of good asphalt. From the highway to the fiery place, 5 kilometers along a country road, along which a car could pass, if not for a section of a couple of hundred meters of sand. The sandy section is almost at the very road, and the walking option is also painstaking, so you can only drive here on off-road vehicles.

In English-speaking countries, the gas crater is called The Door to Hell, i.e. "Gate to Hell". And locals and travelers call it "The Door to the Underworld." The craters in Darvaz are the only attraction for a long distance around.

Story

In 1971, near the village of Darvaza in Turkmenistan, Soviet geologists found an accumulation of underground gas. As a result of excavations and drilling of an exploratory well, experts stumbled upon an underground cavern (emptiness), due to which the earth collapsed and a huge hole appeared, which was filled with gas. The drilling rig with all the equipment and transport collapsed into the resulting hole, people were not injured in this case.

The gas that escaped from the crater could pose a real threat to the lives of people and animals that were nearby, so they decided to set it on fire. Geologists believed that there were few gas reserves there and after some short time the Darvaza gas crater would go out, but they were mistaken. But days, months, years and decades passed, but the gas does not end and the flame continues to blaze. According to the most approximate data, billions of cubic meters of gas disappeared in the crater. Since 1971, the natural gas that comes out of the crater has been burning continuously day and night.

Thus, the Darvaza gas crater has become a natural landmark and a place of tourist pilgrimage. And this is no accident, because the view of the blazing gas crater is impressive: at least twenty meters deep, more than sixty meters in diameter, and pillars of fire reach fifteen meters in height.

Such a majestic view surprises visiting tourists, but for locals this is not the best neighborhood. A nearby village called Darvaz, which gave its name to the gas crater, disappeared from the face of the earth - in 2004, because it was completely demolished, and all local residents were relocated to other areas. Six years later, by order of the President of Turkmenistan, scientists begin to create a program to eliminate the natural anomaly. Such an endless gas leak not only harms the environment, but also depletes other fields in the area. But in order to develop a correct program of measures to tame the fire, it is necessary to study in detail the Darvaza gas crater.

Daredevil at the bottom of Darvaza

No matter how strange it was, but still there was a man who dared to go down to the bottom of the crater. In 2013, the traveler, true adventurer and daredevil George Koronis from Canada descended to the bottom of Darvaza to conduct research and collect samples.

The researcher thoroughly prepared for such an extreme excursion. According to Koronis, it took more than a year and a half for all the preparations and preparatory work. A reliable team of assistants and like-minded people was organized, modern equipment was prepared, and all necessary permits were obtained. The well-known National Geographic magazine participated in the financing of this program. But the Canadian descended not only to test himself, it was necessary to collect soil at the very bottom of the gas crater in order to find out if life was possible there.

George Koronis was an experienced climber, but before such an unusual descent, he trained for a long time over the gorge of a local mountain river. Dressed in a heat-resistant suit specially made for this event, with a special breathing apparatus, he moved along a tightly stretched rope. But when an experienced traveler descended to the bottom of the crater, his feelings exceeded all his wildest expectations. According to him, it was as if he had landed on another planet: everything around him was blazing, roaring and bubbling. Koronis was at the very bottom and took soil samples.

The results of further research turned out to be truly amazing: there were living organisms at the bottom of the burning crater. Bacteria have been found that live and thrive at these rather high temperatures. Similar microorganisms are not found anywhere on earth. The Darvaza gas crater was fraught with life. The study of the natural phenomenon continues.

Visiting the crater

It is better to drive up to the Gates of Hell shortly before sunset. Of course, you can look at it during the day, but you can only see all the beauty at night. Arriving before sunset, you can enjoy a fantastic spectacle: the crater, immersed in sunlight, plunges into darkness, thereby illuminating the night desert landscapes with bright light. It is truly an unforgettable sight.

From the settlement after the demolition, only the foundations of several houses remained. Here you can meet people in different places of the already non-existent settlement, who gather in small groups. It's like a picnic: they cook food and tea on fires. Former residents of Darvaza come to their native places according to old memory. And a couple of kilometers from this place there is a road cafe where you can eat pilaf, manti, drink tea.

Some craters are surrounded by a halo of loose and gray soil. It is clearly visible in panoramic photographs or from a satellite, which indicates the common boundary of the void and the release of gas through the soil. Almost nothing grows on such land, but a lot of mushrooms. Gas in some way affects their growth. The burning crater has a lot of champignons, but they are all dry and without worms.

On the edge of the craters you need to be extremely careful. The earth is loose, landslides constantly occur. This is especially important at the fiery pit, because there are a lot of fresh scree. In addition, it is completely impossible to breathe from the windward side. High temperature, hot gas and almost no oxygen.

The Darvaza gas crater has been burning for more than 45 years, and will likely continue to burn until the underground gas reserves are completely depleted. Questions arise: how much of a valuable natural resource burned down just like that during this time? Was it really impossible to put out the flames and restore gas production. Scientists believe that, using a special drilling technology, it was more than realistic to do this, but the flame keeps burning and burning. Even now, the bitter smell of sulfur can be felt at a great distance from the funnel. The closer you get to the crater, the easier it is to feel how much sulfur concentration in the air becomes. Indeed, this crater is a mysterious place on the planet.

Other craters

It is interesting that two more similar failures of the same origin are located not far from the route. It is worth coming to them only during the day, because there is no fire there and it is dark there at night. These craters do not burn, the gas pressure here is much weaker. At the bottom of one of the craters there is a bubbling liquid mud of a light gray hue, at the bottom of another there is a liquid of a surprisingly turquoise color.

It is advisable to inspect these funnels carefully: at the perimeter of the pits, loose earth crumbles and pieces of earth fall into craters. There is a smell of natural gas near the dips and a rather high temperature, so staying here for a long time is not recommended.

Experts believe that with the help of directional drilling from denser areas, two of the three insidious deposits can be used (the reserves here are industrial - the gas lies close to the surface of the earth). Not far from the fire crater there are several mothballed wells with the remains of wellhead fittings, and it is not difficult to put them into operation again. And in the area with the "turquoise" lake, where water-gas contact is allowed in the reservoir, production is impossible.

This Darvaz phenomenon fully shows how rich the Turkmen land is in natural gas and how many more mysteries, secrets and discoveries are hidden in the bowels of Turkmenistan.