Abstract: Operation optimization of crude oil pipeline is conducive to reducing its energy consumption to a certain extent. In this paper, a mathematical model was established in the form of discrete time expression based on the batch transportation process of crude oil pipeline. In this model, various constraint conditions are taken into consideration, such as the pipeline hydrothermal constraint at different time steps and the operation process of the station. The physical property difference between different batches of crude oil in the pipeline is distinguished strictly, and the lowest energy consumption of all oil transportation equipments along the whole pipeline is taken as the objective function. And it is solved by means of the simulated annealing-ant colony algorithm. Then, it was used to calculate the Shanshan-Lanzhou pipeline which is the trunk line in Western Crude Oil Pipeline, and the calculation results were compared with the results of previous optimization algorithms. It is indicated that the simulated annealing-ant colony algorithm is more efficient, and its corresponding operation scheme can decrease the operation energy consumption of pipelines significantly and satisfy the technical requirements of on-site operation, presenting strong applicability.