One billion tons of crude oil — what does that actually mean? If the entire volume were moved by road, using heavy tanker trucks each carrying 30 tons and completing one round trip every two days, it would take roughly 1,400 tankers running continuously for 13 years to accomplish the same task.
On October 30, the National Pipeline Network Group's Lanzhou-Chengdu crude oil pipeline officially surpassed a cumulative throughput of 1 billion tons. This major energy artery, running north from Lanzhou in Gansu Province to Pengzhou in Sichuan Province, has operated safely and steadily for 13 years since it was put into service in 2013.
The Lanzhou-Chengdu crude oil pipeline crosses the Bailong River section.
Traversing countless mountains and rivers, how does the crude oil reach Sichuan safely? The terrain along the Lanzhou-Chengdu crude oil pipeline is complex, with a maximum elevation difference of 2,207 meters and 45 mountain tunnels along the route. Faced with challenges such as high-drop transportation and geological disasters, pipeline operators have ensured the safe and stable delivery of crude oil through measures including setting up power stations, strengthening pressure monitoring, and conducting geological disaster early warning.
In recent years, with the application of digital and intelligent technologies, this energy artery has become increasingly "smart." Automated transportation technology has improved the operational efficiency of valve control, flow regulation, and other processes, while fiber-optic early warning, leak monitoring, and drone patrol inspection have further enhanced the level of pipeline safety management.
The Pengzhou Station of the Lanzhou-Chengdu crude oil pipeline.
This 1 billion tons of crude oil is not merely a transportation figure — it is closely tied to urban operations and people's daily lives. Crude oil from the northwest arrives in Pengzhou through the pipeline, where it is refined and processed into products such as gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuel. According to a relevant person in charge at the site, the crude oil transported through the pipeline, after refining, currently supplies approximately 40% of the refined oil consumed in the Chengdu area.
From underground pipelines to city roads, from energy transmission to millions of households, this energy artery — which has operated safely for 13 years — continues to provide energy security for the economic and social development of Sichuan.
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