Abstract: A pipeline in cold areas runs through permafrost regions including continuous permafrost, discontinuous permafrost, island permafrost and permafrost marsh with complex geological conditions. Due to the oil transportation temperature being far higher than the designed operating temperature of the running pipeline and the great difference between actual laying and design conditions, the pipeline is prone to thawing settlement. Iterative formula is set up by using steady heat conduction of multilayer media to calculate foundation thawing circle thickness in the permafrost since the pipeline operation. Through correction of temperature rise, surface thawing and permafrost ground temperature, thawing depth of pipeline foundation thawing circle is calculated under the condition of insulating layer and insulating layer free. On the basis, thawing deformation is calculated in accordance with the analysis of permafrost foundation thawing settlement deformation and compression settlement deformation and then it is compared with the maximum differentiated thawing deformation allowed by the pipeline to define the thawing settlement risk. Finally, three pipeline thawing settlement prevention measures are provided based on the geological features of permafrost regions and actual engineering experience.