The Door To Hell

The Door To Hell

This flaming crater located in the Ahal Province, Turkmenistan near Darvaza has earned the name "The Door To Hell". In 1971, Soviet scientist identified the site as a possible oil field. A drilling rig and camp were set up on the now 230 foot wide crater.
The Soviets began drilling for natural resources. They found a natural gas deposit and began to store collected gases but for unknown reasons the ground collapsed under the rig, swallowing it in to the earth. Methane gas was released and posed an environmental threat, as well as a threat to nearby villages, which lead the scientist to the conclusion of burning off the deposit. The Soviets expected the deposit to burn off in a few weeks, however the crater has been ablaze for more than four decades and still burns to this day.