English 
Spanish 
4 min read
0 comments
700 burning oil wells and an unusual solution called Big Wind.
In 1990, the world watched as one of the Middle East's biggest sources of wealth collapsed when the Gulf conflict sparked a series of devastating fires at hundreds of oil wells in Kuwait. It was the start of one of the worst environmental disasters on record, with experts predicting the blazes could burn for years.
The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait not only resulted in a devastating conflict, as well as triggering a scorched earth strategy. During the withdrawal in 1991, the Iraqi army set fire to more than 700 oil wells, turning the Kuwaiti desert into a dark hell.. To give you an idea of the severity, the heat from the flames exceeded 350 degrees Celsius in the surrounding air, while the sand cooked at about 700 degrees, fueled by the burning oil.
These oil wells could burn for up to 100 years
These fires released tons of pollution into the atmosphere, compromising the environment and raising concerns about a possible “nuclear winter.” More than 10 countries, including the United States, the Soviet Union, France and China, have joined forces to try to extinguish the flames.. However, even with all these efforts, some experts believed that it would take up to five years to control the situation, while the most optimistic predicted two years.
- BP backs off oil and gas cuts, focuses on new investments in the Middle East and Gulf of Mexico
- OPEC revises Brazil's oil production and GDP, warns of inflation and rising costs in offshore production
- Petrobras surprises by announcing a partnership with Vale! The focus is clear: the use of renewable fuels! Do we have an unbeatable partnership here?
- Petrobras bets on historic revolution in Campos Basin to double oil production and boost economy
But the reality was even harsher: if abandoned, these wells could burn for up to 100 years, releasing millions of barrels of oil daily. The costs were astronomical, with an estimated loss of $120 million per day in oil going up in smoke.. There was no doubt that something drastic needed to be done.
The challenge of extinguishing oil wells
Attempts to extinguish oil well fires involved both traditional methods and creative innovations. Water bombs, foam, dry chemicals and even explosives were used to cut off oxygen to the flames, but the situation called for something more robust. It was then that a Hungarian team came up with an extreme and impressive solution: the Big Wind.
Big Wind was a real machine
The Big Wind was a true war machine adapted to fight fires. Imagine two MiG-21 fighter engines attached to a Soviet T-34 tank, replacing the tank turret with these giant jet engines. The idea was simple and brilliant: the engines expelled a combination of air and water at extremely high pressure, capable of “blowing” the flames and cutting off the flow of oil that fed the fires.. With this engineering monster, the Hungarian team managed to extinguish 9 oil wells in just 43 days – a remarkable feat considering the level of difficulty.
Oil and the global impact
The reason for this chaos began before the war, when Iraq accused Kuwait of drilling in oil fields beyond its borders. This field, Romaila, contained a huge reserve of oil, crucial to the Iraqi economy, which was already suffering after years of war with Iran. The invasion of Kuwait by Iraq, led by Saddam Hussein, was an aggressive response to the economic situation, culminating in the Gulf War and the massive burning of oil wells.
The magnitude of the disaster was so great that many feared the environmental consequences would be irreversible. Fortunately, the rapid response of several nations and the use of innovative technologies such as Big Wind prevented the disaster from becoming even worse.
A controlled disaster, but with deep scars
The Kuwaiti oil fires were finally brought under control in November 1991, almost 10 months after the crisis began. More than 10 people worked tirelessly to put out the flames, and around 90% of the fires were extinguished using seawater. Ingenuity and international cooperation saved the day, but the environmental impact was massive and is still felt today.
Even with the success in extinguishing the fires, the areas around the wells remain severely contaminated. It is estimated that by 2021, only 10% of the polluted areas had been recovered. The legacy of Big Wind and international efforts shows how technology and collaboration can tackle even the worst-case scenarios, but it also serves as a reminder of the price humanity pays in times of war.
The Kuwait oil fire was one of the greatest environmental and economic tragedies in modern history, and Big Wind's unusual solution has carved its place in engineering history as an example of innovation in times of crisis.
And do you think that today we would be prepared to deal with an environmental catastrophe of this magnitude more efficiently?
