Panco 13 Heliport

Economic and project-related. The heliport was exclusively built to support the massive Petrobras COMPERJ (Complexo Petroquímico do Rio de Janeiro) project. This multi-billion dollar project was largely paralyzed starting in 2015 due to massive financial overruns and its central role in the 'Operação Lava Jato' (Operation Car Wash) corruption scandal. With construction halted and personnel drastically reduced, the logistical need for the heliport was eliminated, leading to its closure.

The heliport is currently mothballed and inactive. Satellite imagery of the coordinates confirms the physical infrastructure, including the paved helipad with its 'H' marking, remains intact within the industrial complex. However, it shows signs of disuse and is not operational. The site is part of the larger industrial area which has been partially repurposed and rebranded by Petrobras as the 'Polo GasLub Itaboraí', with a new natural gas processing unit now active. The heliport itself remains dormant.

Panco 13 Heliport was a critical piece of logistical infrastructure for what was, at the time, one of Brazil's largest and most ambitious industrial projects. Its primary function was to transport Petrobras executives, high-level engineers, government officials, and key contractors between metropolitan centers like Rio de Janeiro and the sprawling, remote construction site in Itaboraí, bypassing heavy and unpredictable road traffic. The heliport's existence and active use symbolized the immense scale and investment poured into the COMPERJ project before its dramatic downfall.

There are no official or publicly announced plans to reopen the Panco 13 Heliport. Its future is entirely contingent on the future development and operational intensity of the GasLub Hub. Should the complex expand significantly to a point where frequent, rapid executive transport is once again required, Petrobras could potentially seek to inspect, upgrade, and recertify the facility for use. However, as of now, any prospect of reopening is purely speculative and dependent on a full-scale revival of the industrial site's activities.