A photo from open sources
This is not an abstract of a science fiction novel or script. Apocalypse movie. Although today this information is not secret, few people know that in July 1972 in 3.8 kilotons of nuclear charge were blown up in Ukraine.
Richest mine
In 1970, in the Krasnograd district of Kharkov region was gas condensate field was discovered. According to the conclusion experts, more than 300 billion cubic meters were underground natural gas. By 1971, they had already been drilled and supplied gas 17 wells. Near the village of Pershotravneve (Pervomayskoe) was supposed to appear The 18th. But the unexpected happened.
Crash
When drilling a well, gas escaped from the ground. Pressure gas condensate was abnormal – over 400 atmospheres. Drilling complex just swept away. The people who were there died. Urgently accepted measures to eliminate the accident did not bring any result. There is a threat ignition and explosion of gas escaping from the ground. Workers drill went to the houses of villagers and warned: in the huts not drown, do not turn on the light, do not smoke, and best of all – leave for a few days. A day later, the experts decided: in avoiding an even more terrible accident gas escaping to the surface set fire to. There was an explosion and at the outskirts of the village a 30-meter soared into the sky fire torch.
Custom Solution
For several months, people were unsuccessfully struggling with breaking out on the will of the genie. The proven grandfather method of extinguishing the fire remained – digging a well. But experts from Moscow proposed another solution: to produce a directed underground nuclear explosion during which displacement of underground layers and the mine channel will be blocked. The future operation was called “Torch”.
Those who proposed this idea were neither adventurers nor idiots. The proposal was based on scientific calculations and hundreds of results. experiments. Moreover, the technique has already been tested, and not once. The first explosion to shut off a burning gas fountain was produced in 1966. Then at the Uzbek field “Urta-Bulak” the torch was extinguished, which burned for 3 years. IN A 1968 guided nuclear explosion extinguished a fire on Pamuk field (Uzbekistan), and in April 1972 (literally just) – in Turkmenistan.
A photo from open sources
Previously carried out explosions exceeded the upcoming Ukrainian by charge power several times. (“Urta-Bulak” – 30kt, “Pamuk” – 47ct, “Torch” – 3.8ct.) Such explosions were carried out later, the last – in 1981 in the Arkhangelsk region at the Pirit field. So that the idea was not new.
Operation Torch
Yet a nuclear explosion is a nuclear explosion. Nobody belonged to this as something ordinary. Question about the possibility of Operation “Torch” was viewed at the very top. Ruling on the implementation of a nuclear explosion in Ukraine with the aim of the elimination of a burning gas fountain was signed by Brezhnev and Kosygin, after several consultations.
Preparation for the operation took 4 months and was carried out in an environment strictest secrecy. Local military units to participate in the operation not involved, Moscow units were delivered Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and KGB troops. All participants in the operation have signed up for non-disclosure of secrecy, although many did not know what this secret.
On the morning of July 9, 1972, all residents of the village of Pershotravnev were taken to nearby Krestische, far from the epicenter of a future explosion on distance of 2 km. Drowned out all wells in the field, emptied reservoirs, disconnected water supply systems and electric networks, employees dressed in protective suits.
At 10:00 the earth shook. People fell from their feet. Came dead silence. But after 20 seconds the volcano came to life, pulled up mixed with gas stream, and a minute later over the scene of the accident it became mushroom cloud rising in the sky.
After the explosion
Within half an hour, people returned home. Affected in the village. Pershotravnev at home (in some, the walls collapsed, in many the walls cracked) were restored at the expense of the state. A life returned to her rut. Data on how affected there was no underground explosion on the health of local residents, since there was no medical monitoring of them. In the early 90s the Peršhotravnevites tried to achieve a status similar to Chernobyl, but the authorities affected them from radiation are not recognized.
A photo from open sources
As for the gas torch, the explosion did not reach its goal: the fire did not go out. They extinguished it by the old-fashioned method, digging a well. Finally, the flame was extinguished only in July 1973. Well drowned without extracting a single cubic meter of gas from it.
USSR: Program No. 7
In total, in the USSR from 1965 to 1988, 124 peaceful nuclear explosion. They were carried out in the framework of “Program No. 7”. Besides elimination of fires at gas fields nuclear charges undermined to create underground and ground tanks, seismic sensing, intensification of oil and gas production, ore crushing, etc. Most often charges were torn in the RSFSR – 80 bombings, followed by Kazakhstan – 39, Uzbekistan – 2, Ukraine – 2, Turkmenistan – 1.
The last nuclear explosion for industrial purposes in the USSR was implemented in 1988 in the Arkhangelsk region, the latest nuclear tests were carried out in 1990, and in 1996 the Russian Federation signed Nuclear Test Ban Treaty still.
USA: The Plausher Project
In addition to the USSR, use a nuclear bomb for household needs tried the Americans. In the framework of the project “Plausher” (1957 – 1973) on territory of 3 states, 27 explosions were carried out. After on US territory as a result of such business activities formed several zones of radioactive contamination, convince authorities of any state that a nuclear explosion in their territory is an event absolutely safe, has become an almost impossible task. Project “Plausher” was found to be unpromising and closed.
Ultimately, both the USSR and the USA from the idea of using nuclear explosions for industrial purposes refused. Too much trouble a nuclear monster who broke free as a result of an accident. Peaceful atom in fact, it turned out to be not so peaceful.
Kazakhstan Fires USSR USA Ukraine
