Optimization of Helicopters Flight Hours: Application in Petrobras Campos Basin Operations

Abstract

Transporting passengers to maritime units is one of the most critical factors in the oil industry. Optimizing costs and reducing workforce exposure to flight hours is paramount. The target scenario for this study is Petrobras’ operations in the Campos Basin, where more than 500 thousand passengers are transported annually. A model inspired by Murthy (Operations research (linear programming). bohem press, 2005) transportation problems is proposed, which aims to answer which helicopters from each base will have to fly how many flights per week to meet the demand of each of the maritime units. Current scenarios are analyzed with changes in the configuration of marine units, helicopter fleets, and airport bases. The results showed that the model represents very well the characteristics taken into account by the company, which presented financial gains with the optimization of the scenario today. Also, the scenarios with changes showed even more significant financial gains than the scenario currently adopted, indicating that the model helps support decisions to improve helicopter transport operations.