What does 100 million tonnes of crude oil actually mean? If the entire volume had to be moved by road, using heavy tanker trucks with a 30-tonne capacity each completing one round trip every two days, it would take roughly 1,400 of those trucks running continuously for 13 years to accomplish the same task. On October 30, the Lanzhou-Chengdu Crude Oil Pipeline operated by PipeChina officially saw its cumulative oil throughput surpass 100 million tonnes. This major energy artery, which begins in Lanzhou, Gansu in the north and ends in Pengzhou, Sichuan in the south, has now operated safely and steadily for 13 years since it was commissioned in 2013.
The Lanzhou-Chengdu Crude Oil Pipeline crosses the Bailong River section. The Lanzhou-Chengdu Crude Oil Pipeline crosses the Bailong River section. Spanning 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 it passes through 45 mountain tunnels. Faced with challenges such as high-drop transportation and geological disasters, the pipeline operator has ensured the safe and stable delivery of crude oil by setting up pump stations, strengthening pressure monitoring, and carrying out geological disaster early warning measures.
In recent years, with the application of digital and intelligent technologies, this major energy artery has also become increasingly "smart." Automated transportation technology has improved operating efficiency in areas such as valve control and flow regulation, while technical measures including fiber-optic early warning, leak monitoring, and drone patrols have further raised the level of pipeline safety management.
The Pengzhou Station of the Lanzhou-Chengdu Crude Oil Pipeline. The Pengzhou Station of the Lanzhou-Chengdu Crude Oil Pipeline. These 100 million tonnes of crude oil are not just a transportation figure; they are also closely tied to urban operations and people's daily lives. Crude oil from the northwest arrives in Pengzhou through the pipeline and, after refining and processing, is turned into products such as gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuel. According to a relevant person in charge at the site, after the crude oil delivered by the pipeline is refined, it currently supplies about 40% of the refined oil products in the Chengdu area. From underground pipelines to city roads, from energy transmission to millions of households, this major energy artery that has operated safely for 13 years is continuing to provide energy security for Sichuan's economic and social development.
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