The History of Oil Pipelines
Since the late 19th century, after the British inventor Walker created concrete pipes, the pipeline industry began to develop, with oil pipelines standing out among them. Oil pipelines are a means of transporting petroleum products via pipelines, and their construction and development are closely related to advancements in the petroleum industry and technology.
The first oil pipeline was built in 1862. At that time, an oil refinery in Oklahoma, USA, constructed a 9-mile-long oil pipeline to transport oil extracted from the ground to the refinery. Following this, the United States became one of the earliest countries to develop oil pipelines. During the late 19th century and early 20th century, the U.S. oil pipeline industry rapidly developed, marked by the Powell Pipeline, which spanned 300 miles across the Missouri River.
In the early 20th century, oil pipelines entered a period of rapid development. In 1911, the Standard Oil Company of Indiana was established as the first oil pipeline company in the United States, marking the beginning of the oil pipeline industry as an independent sector. In the early 20th century, the scale of U.S. pipelines continued to expand, increasing from less than 2,500 miles to over 50,000 miles in length, with annual throughput rising from 2 million barrels to 15 million barrels. At the same time, the quality of pipelines improved continuously, adopting new technologies such as new types of steel, anti-corrosion techniques, and automated control systems, enhancing the safety and efficiency of pipelines.
After World War II, with increasing production and consumption of oil, oil pipelines became one of the primary methods for transporting oil and natural gas. In the 1950s, the development of oil pipelines reached a peak, with many countries around the world beginning to construct oil pipelines. During this period, the world’s longest oil pipeline—the Siberia-Pacific pipeline—began construction. In 1977, China completed its first oil pipeline connecting Daqing Oilfield to Beijing, marking a new stage in China’s oil pipeline construction.
Entering the 21st century, the scale of oil pipeline construction has become even grander, especially in the Asian region, where countries like China, Russia, and India have been constructing pipelines at a fast pace, becoming one of the largest oil pipeline businesses globally. Oil pipeline construction is continuously being updated and upgraded, utilizing digital and intelligent technologies to enhance pipeline safety and efficiency, ensuring secure transportation of oil and natural gas.
Overall, the history of oil pipelines is a development process driven by both technology and demand. With improvements in science, technology, and transportation conditions, the scale and functionality of oil pipelines will continue to improve, providing faster and safer transportation methods to meet global energy needs, becoming an indispensable part of modern society.