Cabiúnas Heliport

The closure was due to economic and logistical reasons, specifically the strategic consolidation of offshore helicopter operations by Petrobras, the national oil company. To improve efficiency, safety, and scale, Petrobras centralized its massive crew-change flight operations for the Campos Basin at the nearby Macaé Airport (SBME). This eliminated the need for smaller, decentralized heliports like the one at Cabiúnas.

The site itself is a core part of the highly active Petrobras Cabiúnas Terminal (TECAB), which is one of the largest natural gas processing and oil transfer facilities in Latin America. The specific area of the former helipad is no longer used for routine flight operations. The land is integrated into the operations of the surrounding industrial energy complex. While the helipad markings might still be visible on satellite imagery, it is not an active, registered heliport.

Cabiúnas Heliport was a private heliport located within the Petrobras Cabiúnas Terminal (TECAB). Its historical significance is directly tied to the development of Brazil's offshore oil and gas industry in the Campos Basin. When active, its primary and sole operation was to transport personnel (engineers, technicians, support staff) and light, urgent cargo directly from the crucial onshore processing terminal to the offshore production platforms. It served as a vital, direct logistical link in the complex chain of offshore energy production.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Cabiúnas Heliport for regular aviation services. The strategic decision to centralize all offshore helicopter traffic at the main Macaé Airport (SBME) was a long-term move. The infrastructure, passenger terminals, maintenance facilities, and air traffic control at SBME are far superior and purpose-built for this high-volume mission, making a return to a small, single-pad heliport at Cabiúnas operationally and economically unviable. It might only be considered for use in a specific emergency scenario.