Dukhan, Qatar

Oil riches have come at a cost in Dukhan. This remote desert outpost, 80 kilometres west of Doha, was the site of Qatar's first oil discovery in 1937. Today, the city is tightly controlled by the state oil agency QatarEnergy, which requires a special pass just to enter. With 390 hydrocarbon wells covering 0.08% of the area and a pipeline system stretching 204 kilometres, the industrial footprint is immense. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache - locals have long complained about the hassles of navigating the system, especially when it comes to livestock. Meanwhile, the nearby Dukhan Sabkha, a massive inland salt flat, has dangerously high levels of radioactivity. Dukhan is not for the faint of heart; this city is best suited for hardcore oil workers and those with a high tolerance for red tape.