Abstract: Currently, there are no universally accepted safety criterions and available standards with regard to assessment on impacts of bursting on long-distance natural gas pipelines in service. With different safety criterions deployed, experts may reach different conclusions for the same blasting. Under such circumstances, it is hardly possible to ensure the safety of gas pipelines. In this paper, generation mechanisms and propagation characteristics of bursting seismic waves are analyzed, and main factors that may affect seismic intensity are identified. The results show that bursting mainly induces vibration and damage on the gas pipelines. With comprehensive comparison and analysis of factors, such as laws, regulations, technical specifications, engineering cases and seismic capacity of the pipelines, the maximum vibration velocity of the particle under certain frequencies is recommended as a scientific safety criterion of the gas pipeline. It is also recommended that safety criteria and the allowable safety values for impacts of bursting on gas pipeline shall be specified in relevant national standards to facilitate the safety management of long-distance natural gas pipelines.