The West Siberian Basin serves as the undisputed 'heart' of global natural gas, dwarfing all others with its gargantuan reserves. To put this into perspective: The basin holds over 60% of Russia's total natural gas reserves, a concentration so vast that it could theoretically satisfy global energy demands for years on its own. This 'Matthew effect'—where a single geological feature holds exponentially more than its peers—is rare even in the energy sector. Home to world-class giants like the Urengoy gas field, the basin presents a striking paradox: an unforgiving, frozen wasteland that hides the very power to reshape global energy geopolitics.