Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) has published Portaria No 20.220/SIA, dated October 19 but released in the Diário Oficial da União on October 23, 2026. The ordinance formally inscribes the helideck installed on Petrobras’ mobile offshore unit VENUS (identifier 9PUV) in the national aerodrome registry. The new listing authorises the deck for daytime operations—and for emergency night operations—opening the structure to regular helicopter landings for crew-change and logistics flights in the Campos Basin. Key technical parameters, such as a 12.8-tonne pavement strength and clearance for rotorcraft with up to 22.2 metres in overall length, were validated. The permit is valid until November 25, 2029, replacing an earlier, more restrictive authorisation issued in March 2024. For Brazil’s energy sector, the decision removes an administrative bottleneck that had forced Petrobras to rely on nearby platforms or supply vessels for crew exchanges, increasing safety risks and adding up to six hours to each rotation. With roughly 3,000 workers moving between shore and the Campos Basin every fortnight, the change is expected to cut transport costs by up to 8 percent and reduce weather-related delays. Aviation suppliers also stand to gain. Local helicopter operators—including Líder Aviação and Omni Táxi Aéreo—can now schedule flights directly to VENUS, freeing scarce deck slots on neighbouring rigs and allowing more efficient fleet deployment. ANAC signalled it will accelerate similar registrations to support Brazil’s forthcoming “Pré-Sal +10” exploration round, which could double offshore head-counts over the next decade. Companies sending engineers and project managers offshore should update their travel risk assessments: flights to VENUS will now depart mainly from Macaé Airport instead of Cabo Frio, and night-time evacuations will use the deck’s newly approved emergency lighting protocols. ANAC advises operators to monitor subsequent technical circulars that will spell out refuelling and medical-evacuation standards for the facility.
