Abstract: With the development of digital and intelligent technologies, the operation and management mode of oil and gas pipelines are expected to be substantially changed, and the development concept centered on intelligent pipeline and intelligent pipeline network will be formed. The basis and realization conditions of China's intelligent pipeline construction were analyzed from the perspective of pipeline operation process. Firstly, the basis and functions of intelligent pipeline construction were discussed from three aspects: the definition of intelligent pipeline, the development status of domestic and foreign intelligent pipeline, and the Internet of Things basis and technical preparation for intelligent operation of oil and gas pipelines, indicating that the application of intelligent pipeline in oil and gas production is the essential issue of intelligent pipeline construction. Secondly, the source of complexity in data, modeling and calculation of natural gas pipeline network was discussed, and the construction ideas of intelligent pipeline and intelligent pipeline network were specified. Thirdly, China–Russia Eastern Gas Pipeline was taken as an example to expound the goal, basis and intelligent composition of the process operation of the China–Russia Eastern Gas Pipeline. The intelligent composition of the process operation is composed of the construction of the pipeline process simulation system, the construction of the Digital Twin based on the pipeline data, and the comprehensive operation scheduling and reliability assessment. Finally, some understanding and suggestions were given against the situation and challenges faced by the development and application of intelligent pipeline technology.