Scientists report that the massive crater in Turkmenistan, which has been burning continuously for the past 50 years, is showing signs of slowing down. This massive fire has been burning since 1971. During the Soviet era, Soviet scientists accidentally drilled into a natural gas pocket while exploring for oil. As a result, toxic gases began to escape from the pocket. Scientists at the time believed that the best way to prevent further release of toxic gases was to burn off the gas and exhaust it. They assumed that once the gases in the gas pocket were burned off, the danger it posed would also end.
However, things didn’t turn out as expected. Due to the large amount of gas in the pocket and its depth, the gases that were expected to burn out quickly are still burning. This fire is causing the release of large amounts of methane, one of the most dangerous gases contributing to global warming, into the atmosphere. This gas has led to adverse changes in climate. Turkmenistan’s national energy agency, Turkmengas, says that the size and intensity of the fire have now decreased by three times compared to before. The agency’s director, Irina Lurveva, said that while the light from the fire in the gas crater was previously visible from many kilometers away, now only a very small sign of the burning gas can be seen.
To prevent the spread of fire, many boreholes have been drilled around the crater. This is to capture the gases that are released into the air. Collecting these gases through these boreholes allows for the use of gases for various purposes. It also somewhat reduces the environmental damage caused by the release of toxic gases into the air. However, it’s unclear when this was achieved. Turkmenistan has the world’s fourth-largest gas reserves. This fiery crater has now become one of the most popular destinations for tourists visiting Turkmenistan. According to information from the International Energy Agency, Turkmenistan is one of the countries that release the most toxic gases into the atmosphere. The main reason for this is gas leakage. However, Turkmenistan denies this.
