Turkmenistan Successfully Reduces Half-Century Gas Fire at ‘Gateway to Hell’
Turkmenistan made an announcement on Thursday that it has made significant progress in reducing a gas fire that has been burning for fifty years at a location known as the “Gateway to Hell”. This fire, which has been raging in the Karakum desert since 1971, was ignited accidentally by Soviet scientists who drilled into an underground gas pocket.
Since then, the blaze has been emitting high volumes of methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. However, recent efforts have led to a threefold reduction in the intensity of the fire, although the exact timeline of this achievement was not specified by officials.
Irina Luryeva, a director at state-owned energy company Turkmengaz, mentioned that multiple wells have been drilled around the burning site to capture methane. This initiative was highlighted at an environmental conference held in the capital city of Ashgabat.
Turkmenistan, known for its secretive nature, boasts the fourth largest gas reserves globally. Despite this, the nation has been facing scrutiny for being the top emitter of methane due to gas leaks, as stated by the International Energy Agency. However, Turkmen authorities have refuted these claims.
The efforts to curb methane emissions and reduce the environmental impact of the long-standing gas fire mark a significant step forward for Turkmenistan, shedding light on the country’s commitment to environmental sustainability.
© Agence France-Presse
