This chapter defines hydrocarbons, a non-renewable natural resource, whose exploration and exploitation causes impacts in the environment. Hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation has started wars, its exploration in the sea started in 1937. The notion of “marine platforms” instead of “offshore platforms” is introduced to rethink the relationship between land and sea and to develop a functional approach to enhance existing regulations. Different types of marine platforms are explained, since this categorization is relevant to determine whether they could be included or not under Maritime Law scope of application.