Hydrocarbons were studied in order to establish the base line of petroleum pollution in the lagoons of Tacarigua, Unare
and Piritu, Venezuela. The results showed that the waters were more polluted by antrophogenic hydrocarbon than the sediments, in all the lagoons. The Tacarigua lagoon was the most polluted perhaps due to the intensive use as a place for fisheries and tourism. In this case the antrogenic hydrocarbons were carried by Guapo river, by boats and by exchange of seawater.