Alkanes have a low solubility in water, so the content in the oceans is negligible; however, at high pressures and low temperatures (such as at the bottom of the oceans), methane can co-crystallize with water to form a solid methane clathrate (methane hydrate).
ˈælkeɪnz hæv ɐ lˈoʊ sˌɑːljuːbˈɪlᵻɾi ɪn wˈɔːɾɚ, sˌoʊ ðə kˈɑːntɛnt ɪnðɪ ˈoʊʃənz ɪz nˈɛɡlɪdʒəbəl; haʊˈɛvɚ, æt hˈaɪ pɹˈɛʃɚz ænd lˈoʊ tˈɛmpɹɪtʃɚz sˈʌtʃ ɐz æt ðə bˈɑːɾəm ʌvðɪ ˈoʊʃənz, mˈɛθeɪn kæn kˈoʊkɹˈɪstəlˌaɪz wɪð wˈɔːɾɚ tə fˈɔːɹm ɐ sˈɑːlɪd mˈɛθeɪn klˈæθɹeɪt mˈɛθeɪn hˈaɪdɹeɪt.