A project to extinguish the gas crater Darvaza in the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan, which caught fire more than 50 years ago due to the collapse of an exploration mine, is at the approval stage. This was reported to TASS by the head of the laboratory of the Scientific Research Institute (NII) of natural gas of the state concern “Turkmengas” Irina Luryeva.
This is one of the tourist attractions of the country. The crater, nicknamed by the people and tourists as the “Gates of Hell”, since 2018 has been officially called the “Shine of the Karakum”.
“We have drawn up a project, the main essence of which is to limit the flow of gas to this emergency well. Now it is at the stage of practical implementation. Work has not yet begun, but before they begin, it is necessary to carry out a theoretical study, draw up a project. This project has already been drawn up, it is at the approval stage, ”said Luryeva.
She explains that the field where the accident occurred has a complex geological structure: there are very thin layers and there are a lot of them. Another feature is that these layers lie shallow from the surface: up to 1 thousand meters.
According to scientists, the only solution to the problem is to drill a well near the field, which will take gas to all layers.
“The fact is that unregulated flows can be stopped in this way, that is, more can be taken away than nature gives,” Luryeva explained.
Source : Avesta