Mystery solved? Exploding Yamal peninsula craters linked to formation of methane pockets as a result of exploitation of natural gas resources

Sputnik
Sun, 01 Apr 2018 16:19 UTC

© Sputnik/ Press-servis

The majority of scientists have argued that the likely cause of the craters is underground methane explosions.

The unusual natural phenomenon has sparked numerous speculations about the reasons behind it, with one of the ideas even suggesting that this was the result of testing weapons.

Reports of a second explosion of huge craters on the Yamal peninsula in Russia, appeared last week causing renewed discussions about its causes.

Professor from the Moscow Institute of Oil and Gas Vasily Bogoyavlensky suggests that the phenomenon could have occurred amid human exploitation of natural gas resources, which, in turn, resulted in the formation of unstable methane pockets in the permafrost.

The gas gathers under the ice and then the pockets explode, he argued.

"To some extent the mechanisms of volcanism apply here - pressure accumulates, and a release occurs. Then the situation stabilizes," Bogoyavlensky told The Siberian Times.

Although such processes mostly occur naturally, the scientist noted that one can't exclude technogenic factors in some cases as well.

Over the last couple of years, there has been a lot of speculation regarding the craters that suddenly appeared in the region in 2014. Some people assumed that the occurrence could be a result of weapons' tests. However, the majority of scientists argued that the more likely cause would be underground methane explosions.

Comment:

In 2014 a mysterious crater-hole was discovered in the Yamal peninsular, northwest Siberia, Russia. It was 'probably caused by methane released as permafrost thawed' according to researchers, and the result of 'internal forces not seen in 8,000 years'. Since then new information has come to light, with witnesses reporting an 'explosion' and a 'glow in the sky' from 100 km away.

This would indicate an extremely powerful explosion occurred from below to form this 'crater-hole', in a region known in the local Nenets language as the 'end of the world'. The recent discovery by scientists of methane 'bubbles' on the remote Belyy Island in the Kara Sea off the Yamal Peninsula coastline may be another alarming sign of increased activity in the depths.

See also:

• Methane outgassing discovered in Siberia's Yamal peninsula crater hole say scientists
• 'Big bang' and 'pillar of fire' as two new craters form on Yamal peninsular, Siberia
• Thousands of underground methane bubbles set to explode in Siberia
• Enormous mounds of methane found off the coast of the Yamal Peninsula in Siberia
• SOTT Exclusive: The growing threat of underground fires and explosions