Darvaza Gas Crater: How It Formed and Why It Still Burns In the middle of Turkmenistan’s Karakum Desert lies the famous Darvaza Gas Crater, often called the “Door to Hell.” Its origin goes back to 1971, when Soviet geologists were drilling for natural gas in the area. What they did not realise was that the desert floor was extremely unstable. Beneath the surface lay a thin layer of soil covering a large underground methane-filled cavern. When drilling began, the ground suddenly collapsed, creati

The Darvaza Gas Crater