Abstract: Heating viscous oil electrically is still an advanced new heating technique in oil shipping and storage. Here introduced in brief are the development of viscous oil heating technique in other countries, the main ways of heating and their correspondent equipment. Made in addition are preliminary analysis of the feasibility of heating oil storage electrically and preliminary probe into the rheating method and equipment in relation to varied sizes of pipes and tanks in oil shipping and storage. The technique will surely be given more and more attention with the rapid progress of our "four" modernizations.