Construction and operation management technology and prospect of oil and gas pipelines in China

The history of oil and gas pipelines in China can be traced back to Qin and Han Dynasties 200 years BC. However, the pipeline industry in modern China was significantly lagging behind the industrially-developed countries. After the founding of New China, the development of some large oil/gas fields has driven the evolution of pipeline industry. In 2011, the 2nd West-to-East Gas Pipeline was completed and put into operation, demonstrating that China's pipeline construction technology has reached the international advanced level. In recent years, significant progresses were made in transportation of high-pour-point and viscous crude oil, fracture control of high-pressure gas pipeline, pipeline engineering construction, pipeline integrity management, and centralized regulation of large pipeline network. Onshore oil and gas pipelines have become China's most practical, reliable and important strategic energy channels. Safety and efficiency are the eternal targets of oil and gas pipelines. Pipeline construction and operation management also face many challenges, and many related technologies are to be improved. In order to take the unique advantages of pipeline in safety, economics and environmental protection, the oil and gas pipelines in China should be further upgraded in following aspects: transportation of heavy crude oil, efficient delivery of natural gas, application of high grade (X90/X100) steel pipes, mechanized construction, pipeline security, pipeline network reliability management and management informatization.