The development history of oil and gas pipeline construction standards is as follows:

International development history

Origin and initial development (19th century-early 20th century): In 1862, the first 9-mile-long oil pipeline was built in Oklahoma, USA. In 1865, an oil pipeline in Pennsylvania, USA began operation, marking the beginning of modern oil and gas pipeline transportation. During this period, pipeline construction was in its infancy, and the standards were mainly based on practical experience. System specifications had not yet been formed. Most pipelines were simple iron pipes or wooden pipes, with simple connection and sealing technologies and limited safety measures.

Rapid development and formation of technical specifications (early 20th century-before World War II): In 1911, the first oil pipeline company was established in the United States, and oil pipelines became an independent industry. As the scale of pipelines continued to expand and technology continued to advance, new steel materials and anti-corrosion technologies began to be applied. Organizations such as the American Petroleum Institute (API) began to formulate relevant standards, such as API 5L, which stipulated the steel grade, size, wall thickness, etc. of steel pipes, providing basic technical specifications for pipeline construction.

Maturity and systematic development (after World War II-end of the 20th century): After World War II, the demand for oil and natural gas increased greatly, and pipeline construction entered a peak period, and pipeline construction extended to many regions around the world. International organizations such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) actively participated in the formulation of pipeline standards, and standards such as ISO 13623 were successively issued, covering pipeline design, construction, operation and other aspects. During this period, attention was also paid to the formulation of standards for pipeline safety and environmental protection, such as requirements for pipeline risk assessment and environmental impact assessment.

Intelligent and green development (21st century to present): With the advancement of science and technology, intelligent and digital technologies are widely used in pipeline construction and operation, and pipeline standards are also updated accordingly, such as adding specifications for pipeline monitoring, automatic control, data analysis and other technologies. At the same time, environmental protection requirements are becoming increasingly stringent, and standards pay more attention to reducing environmental pollution and ecological damage, and emphasize sustainable development.

China's development process

Start-up and exploration stage (1950s-1970s): In the 1950s, China began to explore oil and gas pipeline transportation. In 1958, the Xinjiang Karamay Oilfield was put into production, marking the beginning of China's oil and gas pipeline transportation. During this period, the focus was on learning from foreign experience and building oil and gas pipelines such as Karamay-Urumqi. The standards were mainly based on the specifications of the Soviet Union and other countries, and were initially formulated in combination with domestic actual conditions. The technical level was relatively low.

Development and improvement stage (1970s-early 21st century): After the reform and opening up, China's oil and gas pipeline construction entered a rapid development stage. Many oil and gas pipelines such as Tarim-Lunnan were built, and the technology continued to improve. China began to formulate its own oil and gas pipeline standards, such as GB 50369 "Oil and Gas Long-distance Pipeline Engineering Construction and Acceptance Specifications", and gradually formed a set of pipeline construction standards suitable for domestic conditions, covering pipeline design, construction, acceptance and other aspects.

High-speed development and internationalization stage (21st century to present): Entering the 21st century, China's oil and gas pipeline construction is mainly based on long-distance pipelines, cross-regional pipelines and major oil and gas strategic channels, realizing the national networking of oil and gas pipeline transportation. China actively participates in the formulation of international standards. For example, the Natural Gas Research Institute of China National Petroleum Corporation Southwest Oil and Gas Field Company took the lead in formulating the first international standard ISO 16960:2014 in my country's natural gas field in 2014. Domestic standards are constantly aligned with international standards. At the same time, combined with domestic technological innovation and development needs, the standards are continuously revised and improved, with more emphasis on quality, safety, environmental protection and intelligence.

In the international development of oil and gas pipeline construction standards, China's standard formulation is as follows:

Early reference and learning stage (early international development-end of the 20th century)

Actively introduce international standards: In the stage of rapid development and systematization of international oil and gas pipeline construction standards, China's pipeline construction is in the initial stage of development and development, mainly focusing on the introduction and learning of international advanced standards. Actively learn from the relevant standards of the US API standards, ASME standards and the Soviet Union and other countries, such as in the design theory of pipelines, material selection, etc., refer to API 5L and other standards to guide domestic pipeline construction.

Preliminary formulation of domestic standards: On the basis of learning international standards, combined with domestic engineering practices and specific national conditions, some preliminary industry standards and specifications began to be formulated. For example, in the 1970s, some enterprise standards and local standards applicable to the internal pipeline construction of domestic oil and gas fields were formulated, laying the foundation for the formation of national standards later.

Independent development and improvement stage (late 20th century-21st century)

Building a standard system framework: With the continuous expansion of domestic oil and gas pipeline construction and the improvement of technical level, China has accelerated the pace of formulating oil and gas pipeline construction standards and gradually built its own standard system framework. A series of national standards and industry standards covering various aspects such as pipeline design, construction, acceptance, operation and maintenance have been formulated, such as GB 50251 "Gas Pipeline Engineering Design Specifications" and GB 50253 "Oil Pipeline Engineering Design Specifications", which have provided a relatively systematic and comprehensive standard basis for domestic pipeline construction.

Participating in international standard discussions: During this period, China also began to gradually participate in the discussion and formulation of international standards, feedback China's practical experience and technical needs in pipeline construction to the International Standards Organization, and enhance its voice in the formulation of international standards. However, overall, it is still in the role of participation and learning in the formulation of international standards, and its influence on international standards is relatively limited.

International cooperation and leadership stage (2010s to present)

In-depth participation in international standard setting: China's technical level and engineering practice experience in the field of oil and gas pipeline construction have been continuously improved, and its participation and influence in international standard setting have been significantly enhanced. Many Chinese experts have participated in the standard setting work of international standard organizations such as ISO and API, and contributed Chinese wisdom and solutions in many fields such as pipeline materials, welding technology, and testing and monitoring.

Promoting the internationalization of standards: China actively promotes the internationalization of domestic standards and promotes some technical standards and specifications with Chinese characteristics and advantages to the international market. For example, in the application of high-grade pipeline steel and pipeline construction technology under complex geological conditions, China's standards and experience have been recognized by international peers, providing standard support for pipeline construction in international cooperation projects such as the "Belt and Road".

Leading some technical standards: In some specific areas, China has begun to lead the formulation of international standards. For example, in terms of intelligent pipelines and pipeline digitalization technology, China has proposed a series of advanced standard concepts and technical indicators based on its application advantages in technical fields such as big data and the Internet of Things, and promoted the development of international standards in the direction of intelligence and digitalization.