Darvaza gas crater

Why in news?

• The president of Turkmenistan is calling for an end to one of the country's most notable but infernal sights - the blazing natural gas crater widely referred to as the "Gates of Hell".

About Darvaza gas crater:

• The Darvaza gas crater also known as the Door to Hell or Gates of Hell, is a natural gas field collapsed into a cavern near Darvaza, Turkmenistan.
• The crater is a massive gaping hole in the middle of the Karakum Desert
• This gas crater, which was once an oil field site which Soviet engineers tried to exploit for fuel.
• 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.
• After the drilling site collapsed and a dangerous leak of methane gas began to emit, scientists had no choice but to ignite the source of the gas to prevent the spread of the potentially fatal compound.
• This has led to a crater which has been continuously burning for over 40 years as methane gas continues to escape.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Darvaza gas crater, sometimes seen in news, is located in:

(a) Afghanistan

(b) Iran

(c) Turkmenistan

(d) Turkey

Answer