China's Longest Crude Oil Pipeline Surpasses 200 Million Tons in Cumulative Transport
China's Longest Crude Oil Pipeline Surpasses 200 Million Tons in Cumulative Transport
China's longest crude oil pipeline, the Western Crude Oil Pipeline, has completed 18 years of safe and stable operation, having transported more than 200 million tonnes of crude oil since its commissioning, according to the China National Pipeline Group Western Pipeline Co., Ltd.
The 1,541-kilometre pipeline, which runs from Shanshan County in Xinjiang to Lanzhou City in Gansu, is a critical strategic link for the national 'West-to-East Oil Transfer' project. It is also China's first large-diameter, long-distance crude oil pipeline designed for the sequential transportation of multiple crude oil varieties within a fully enclosed system.
Li Longdong, Dispatch Director of the Production Monitoring and Emergency Command Center at Western Pipeline Co., Ltd., reported that since operations began in 2007, the pipeline has achieved significant industry advancements. Its oil throughput has increased from an initial 1,000 cubic metres per hour to over 2,000 cubic metres per hour. Furthermore, its operations have evolved from the sequential delivery of four single-grade oils to the optimized sequential export of blended multi-grade oils.
These developments, Mr. Li stated, demonstrate China's considerable progress in pipeline technology iteration and management upgrades.
In a separate initiative to enhance efficiency, the pipeline's primary station has, since 2015, utilised the elevation differences between its 28 storage tanks and the configuration of its process pipelines. By conducting in-depth analysis of historical oil transfer data, the station implemented a 'pressure substitution for transfer' process optimisation. This measure has resulted in annual energy savings of 4 million kWh, successfully integrating safety, economic, and environmental benefits.
Functioning as a major energy artery, the Western Crude Oil Pipeline interconnects with the China-Kazakhstan Crude Oil Pipeline, the Kucha-Shanshan Crude Oil Pipeline, and the Northern Xinjiang Pipeline Network. This integrated system transports crude oil from the Tuhai, Xinjiang, and Tarim oilfields, in addition to resources from Central Asia, to destinations including Yumen, Lanzhou, and Chengdu. This network ensures a reliable supply of raw materials for major petrochemical enterprises, effectively linking Xinjiang's resource advantages with the market demand in central and eastern China.