The gas fire in question, at night.
Posted on 01/11/2022 6:22:51 AM PST by texas booster
Turkmenistan's president has ordered the government to find a way to extinguish a colossal gas fire burning since the 1970s.
Dubbed the "Gates of Hell," the fire was rumored to be started deliberately in 1971 when a gas-drilling site collapsed into a gas reservoir, and geologists decided to set it on fire to keep the methane from spewing into the atmosphere—in the expectation that the fire would die out on its own in a few weeks.
It didn't.
The crater currently measures more than 230 feet by 65 feet and is a major tourist attraction in Turkmenistan, which has proven reserves of 19.5 trillion cubic meters of natural gas, which makes them the world's fourth-largest. Production stood at a little over 60 billion cubic meters annually as of 2019, with half of that exported to China.
The "Gates of Hell" crater's official name is the "Shining of Karakum," but it is also known as the Darvaza Crater, named so after the nearby village. The site is located some 160 miles from the Turken capital Ashgabad.
According to long-time president Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, the fire is having an adverse impact on the environment and affecting the health of people living in the vicinity, according to a report by the AP citing Turkmen media.
(Excerpt) Read more at oilprice.com ...
This would not be the first attempt to put out the fire that has been burning for five decades. One previous attempt failed back in Soviet times. Then, in 2010, Berdymukhamedov again ordered experts to find a way to extinguish the fire, but was unsuccessful as well.
The gas fire in question, at night.
I thought the burning gas crater was called Darvaza. Is that name not in use anymore?
On location at the tourist site in Turkmenistan, in the day time.
Not sure where they will get the dirt to fill the hole. After all, everything around it is environmentally sensitive and needs protection.
Why the reports and permits alone from the Turkmenistan EPA would take many years about $100 to obtain.
I wonder who owns the s'mores franchise.
From the article: “The “Gates of Hell” crater’s official name is the “Shining of Karakum,” but it is also known as the Darvaza Crater, named so after the nearby village.”
“I thought the burning gas crater was called Darvaza. Is that name not in use anymore?”
WTH??
The “Gates of Hell” crater’s official name is the “Shining of Karakum,” but it is also known as the Darvaza Crater, named so after the nearby village.
Wow on the picture!
Might be more efficient to dome it and valve the top?
Dunno.
The pressure should be manageable since each little porosity outlet is a control orifice.
You’d have to install a field compressor right next to it to send it on it’s way.
Like pumping a low-pressure well.
Ping.
It would be interesting to have a list of the major sources of CO2. Volcanos, etc. I thought man-made CO2 is about 0.28% of the atmosphere.
That said, without CO2, we have no plants, then we all die.
LOL!
If they were serious about cutting the flame, "just" drill a few directional wells to relieve the pressure for the underground gas reservoir.
Until that is done it won't matter.
And they may need to pull gas from the areas around it to slow seepage.
Somebody will douse it.
I trust the field hands (at one part of my career with my life!)
The discussion wouldn’t be on the table if someone didn’t have a solid plan already.
Looking at goog, CO2 varies from 0.28% to as high as 0.41% of the atmosphere depending on the reference quoted.
0.28% is what I remember from college back in the previous millennium.
That is total CO2 for the atmosphere.
Depending on the source, manmade CO2 is about 10% of the total - about 0.03% of atmospheric CO2.
Now if we can Air Liquide and other bulk gas handlers to kick up their production a bit, all would be solved.
But then what would the greens have to cry about?
Only way I could think to put it out would be to flood the hole quickly. Flood it to the point the flames are on top of the water with the crater cooling below it then detonate an air burst nearby to extinguish the flames. Only feasible if there is a water source nearby that could fill that sized crater fast enough to overflow it and cool it enough it doesn’t reignite when the water level drops.
Is Red Adair still alive by chance? He might have some feasible ideas.
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