Macaé Airport’s Lack of Infrastructure Harms Oil Company Business

Oil Companies and Offshore Service Providers in Macaé and Other Producing Cities in Brazil Complain About the Lack of Infrastructure at the Airport

RIO — The Macaé Airport should be a symbol of prosperity in the oil and gas chain, marking the city and surrounding municipalities in Rio de Janeiro’s recovery, but the effect is quite the opposite, and literally, it is losing business opportunities. Since 2015, the city has had no commercial flights due to the poor conditions of the runway, forcing many oil companies and service providers to transport their executive and technical workforce over long land routes, which takes time and causes physical strain.

The State of Espírito Santo Wants to Curb the Growth of Macaé

Despite all the problems mentioned above, a bidding process scheduled for this year to adjust the runway has been approved to resolve the issue (read this article here), but the government of Espírito Santo has not been pleased with the pace at which Macaé is recovering and fearing to lose ground, passenger flow, and flights to its airport in Vitória, has declared it will take legal action against this bidding process, right at the moment when the city needs to meet the logistics for multinational oil operators based in the city.

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Despite the severe economic blow it has suffered in recent years, Macaé is still considered the national capital of oil exploration. It currently hosts bases of the largest oil companies in the world, and although the Campos Basin is experiencing a natural decline in productivity of mature fields, recent auctions have attracted millions in investments for revitalization, exploration of new assets, and new drilling platforms expected to arrive in the coming months/years.

Azul Wants to Return to Macaé

Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras used to operate at Macaé Airport before ceasing operations in 2015 and had to interrupt services in the city because it upgraded its fleet from low-capacity aircraft to planes that accommodate more than 70 passengers; the runway simply isn’t compatible with such aircraft. However, Azul has stated that it wishes to return to service in the city and is eagerly waiting for these repairs. It used to operate regular flights to Macaé connecting the city to Rio, Campos, Vitória, and Campinas; the only activity currently at Macaé Airport is helicopters serving the offshore platforms.

“Businessman Aroldo Alves Siqueira Júnior, owner of the equipment manufacturer for platforms Tech Ocean, based in Macaé, was a frequent passenger. The trip took only 40 minutes to reach the capital of Espírito Santo, and from there he would drive to Aracruz, where the company’s second facility is located. Since flights were suspended, he makes the trip by car every ten days, taking up to nine hours. Eight more executives from the company need to travel between the two factories from time to time. The journey is made by chartered bus, which costs no less than R$ 2,500.”, he said in an interview with GLOBO.

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