Abstract Lake Maracaibo, an oil rich basin located in northwestern Venezuela, is a particularly interesting location from a corrosion control standpoint due to its unique environmental conditions. The selection of effective corrosion control systems for steel structures is studied based on a comprehensive analysis of this dynamic environment. The effect of factors such as water salinity, a fairly uniform oxygen content at low depths, water composition, presence of marine life, high mean lake water temperatures, and a high density of metallic structures on the physical integrity of steel structures is analyzed. Suggestions for the selection of appropriate cathodic protection systems and coatings are presented based on this analysis.