Abstract: Current situation in technology of oil pipeline heaters is described, and structures, technical characters and operation parameters of direct heaters and heat medium heaters are introduced. Energy monitoring to the heater operated in the pipeline of PetroChina Pipeline Company made in 2008 is found out that for partial direct heaters, technical indexes in heat efficiency, fume venting temperature, air coefficient and surface temperature don't meet the requirements of qualified standards; for the heat medium heaters maintained, all indexes meet the requirements of qualified standards. Principal problems existed in current operation for the two-kind of heaters are analyzed and suggestions for future research direction of the heaters are put forward.