Abstract: It is of great necessity to conduct detection and diagnosis on the equipments which are in operation for oil storage and transportation. With the development of such technologies as sensors, intelligent instruments. telecomnunication and data processing, more and more portable, motor-driven and in line detecting instruments and equipments are used in verification and calibration of instrument as well as in fault diagnosis for processing and electrical equipments, giving rise to the great enlongation of normal operation hours and improvement of the system reliabilt ty. The paper, based on the relavent information and research achievements collected from Chuna and abroal, de scribes the present situation and development trend of the current detecting and diagnostic techniques used in the field of oil storage and transportation.