Factors affecting the economic benefit of oil and gas pipeline projects

Base on technological and economic characteristics and practical post-evaluation experience of oil and gas pipeline projects, combined with the theories related with cause-effect analysis method and analytic hierarchy process, the factors affecting the economic benefit of oil and gas pipeline projects were identified and analyzed. Then, a model presenting the relations among affecting factors was established, and the considerations during the economic benefit improvement of oil and gas pipeline projects and the construction of subsequent oil and gas pipeline projects were put forward. It is indicated that the factors affecting the investment and economic benefit of oil and gas pipeline projects include mainly price, oil (gas) throughput, regional development, operation cost and fiscal policy. Pipeline throughput and price are the factors that affect directly the income of pipeline transportation. The operation with low delivery rate and high cost is the fundamental cause restricting the development and economic benefit of pipeline enterprises. Finally, the key influential factors were determined by analyzing the relationships among oil (gas) transportation scale, resource allocation, pipeline transportation price and market development, so as to provide the countermeasures and suggestions for increasing the economic benefit of oil and gas pipeline projects.