Objective The emergence of the science-technology-engineering ternary framework symbolized the rise of the philosophy of engineering as a branch of the discipline of philosophy. Oil and gas pipelines are considered important engineering systems in human society. Their planning, construction, and operational management are required to follow the universal laws of the philosophy of engineering, and in the meantime, practical experience gained from constructing and operating these pipelines contributes to the establishment of an extensive theoretical system for the philosophy of engineering.
Methods This paper presents a systematic review of oil and gas pipeline engineering from the aspects of conveyed media, oil and gas pipelines, medium-pipeline interactions, pipeline-environment interactions, and mediumpipeline-environment interactions. The evolution of oil and gas pipeline engineering is elaborated on various facets, including the origin, the inception of modern oil and gas pipeline engineering, and the development of oil and gas pipeline engineering in China. Additionally, the paper provides a preliminary analysis of the development trends in oil and gas pipeline engineering from different viewpoints, such as new energy systems, transportation systems, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Results Oil and gas pipeline engineering represents a range of technologies in pipeline science, which incorporate the selection, integration, and synergy of relevant scientific and technological knowledge and are utilized in constructing structured, functional, and efficient engineering systems, through the optimal allocation of economic factors, to reflect the value orientation of "energy transportation carriers". The development trajectory of oil and gas pipeline engineering has validated several viewpoints in the philosophy of engineering: Engineering precedes science; engineering, science, and technology exist independently but support each other; solving practical problems drives engineering development, while technological advancements and cognitive level of human at the time determine engineering levels.
Conclusion Fueled by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the deep integration with new energy systems and comprehensive three-dimensional transportation networks represents the future development path of oil and gas pipeline engineering. Hence, emphasis should be placed on both fundamental research and frontier exploration, coupled with intensified efforts for disruptive technological breakthroughs, to maximize the role of pipelines in energy and transportation systems, thereby creating value in the pipeline sector.
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