[thackney]

No significant oxygen. Without oxygen, methane is the lowest energy state for the existence of carbon and hydrogen.

Here on earth, the presence of oxygen takes them down to CO2 and H2O, unless an outside source, like a biological process, chemically combines them into a higher energy state. This allows us to use them as fuel.

[Steely Tom]

Now if I could just remember that!

Thanks, thackney.