They're not capping this one and it's been on fire since 1971!

[Ragnarok]

This thing's been burning continuously since 1971 (!) and I've never even heard of it, or seen it, until now. I guess there's no capping this one either? (j/k) Got any s'mores fixin's in that bug-out bag?

From Wiki:
"The Derweze area is rich in natural gas. While drilling in 1971 geologists accidentally found an underground cavern filled with natural gas.[1] The ground beneath the drilling rig collapsed, leaving a large hole with a diameter of about 50–100 meters at 40°15′10″N 58°26′22″E / 40.25264°N 58.43941°E / 40.25264; 58.43941 (The Door to Hell). To avoid poisonous gas discharge, it was decided to burn the gas.[2] Geologists had hoped the fire would go out in a few days but it has been burning ever since. Locals have named the cavern The Door to Hell."
There's lots more pics and vids out there. Try YouTube, or Google-search "crater of fire" or "burning crater", "door to hell", etc.

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KGHxVW1NbrQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param></embed></object>

Wow...
R.
(p.s. sorry for the weird formatting- don't know why it came out like that!)

[osoab]

That thing is cool.

I showed the vid to a couple of people (sheep) to give perspective.

They were in awe.

[ximmy]

amazing.. my god!

[Ragnarok]

I know it's out in the middle of nowhere and all that, but with all the attention a subsea oil well blowout makes, one would think this would get mention at least once in a while!
R.

[Large Sarge]

In the hot, expansive Karakum desert in Turkmenistan, near the 350 person village of Derweze, is a hole 328 feet wide that has been on fire, continuously, for 38 years. Known as the Darvaza Gas Crater or the “Gates of Hells” by locals, the crater can be seen glowing for miles around.

The hole is the outcome not of nature but of an industrial accident. In 1971 a Soviet drilling rig accidentally punched into a massive underground natural gas cavern, causing the ground to collapse and the entire drilling rig to fall in. Having punctured a pocket of gas, poisonous fumes began leaking from the hole at an alarming rate. To head off a potential environmental catastrophe, the Soviets set the hole alight. The crater hasn’t stopped burning since.

Though little information is available about the fate of the Soviet drilling rig, presumably it is still down there somewhere, on the other side of the “Gates of Hell.”

[Steal]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOsBa7BXYHc&feature=related

[StackerKen]

But... but...what about the energy shortage?



:oo-->



there are tons of Cars than run on natural gas....(all could and should)

and there is aparently no limit to the amount of that stuff...(do they even need to "refine" it?)

The energy shortage is all BS...I knew it all along

[Spectrism]

What about carbon emissions? We pay government to check our vehicles and we pay extra for computers and sensors - and we have places like this far beyond our little carbon emissions.

[wildcard]

That's one hell of a campfire ring. I hope nobody in Texas sees it or they'll have to try to out-do it.

[Liquid]

What about carbon emissions? We pay government to check our vehicles and we pay extra for computers and sensors - and we have places like this far beyond our little carbon emissions.


Notice how clean it burns though? Very few, if any, carbons. This is why natural gas vehicles get 400K plus out of their engines, if not more. They burn clean.

Fascinating, but kind of a waste of good fuel. ;D

[Ragnarok]

Makes one wonder why nobody's slant-drilled into the area ever since they lit it - with perhaps the best indicator of proven reserves merrily consuming same all the while.

R.

[Spectrism]

What about carbon emissions? We pay government to check our vehicles and we pay extra for computers and sensors - and we have places like this far beyond our little carbon emissions.


Notice how clean it burns though? Very few, if any, carbons. This is why natural gas vehicles get 400K plus out of their engines, if not more. They burn clean.

Fascinating, but kind of a waste of good fuel. ;D


Burning clean just means a good percentage of CO2. That is carbon emissions. Methane is CH4. Burn with 2O2 ---> CO2 + 2H2O

[JohnQPublic]

Build a power plant over it- or at least a really big pit BBQ! :)

[Neuro]

It could change name to: "The Gore Portal"

[willie pete]

Build a power plant over it- or at least a really big pit BBQ! :)


That's what I was thinking, do something with all that heat, engineer somehow to turn it into steam (practically)

[Twisted Titan]

Build a power plant over it- or at least a really big pit BBQ! :)


That's what I was thinking, do something with all that heat, engineer somehow to turn it into steam (practically)



Why go through the trouble of cultivating it when you can easily just steal another nations resources and plunge the population into poverty at the same time??


Much easier IMO.


T