Operation Risks of Oil and Gas Pipeline Networks

Oil and gas pipeline networks serve as the core infrastructure for energy transportation, undertaking the long-distance and large-scale transmission of fossil energy resources. Due to the long service cycle, complex laying environment, continuous fluid scouring and aging of equipment, pipeline networks face diverse and dynamic operation risks throughout their service life, which seriously threaten energy supply safety and social public security. This paper systematically analyzes the main operational risk factors of oil and gas pipeline networks, including natural environmental erosion, human-induced damage, equipment aging failure, operational parameter fluctuation and system management loopholes. Combined with quantitative risk assessment methods and spatial analysis technology, it summarizes the occurrence mechanism and evolution law of typical pipeline accidents such as leakage, explosion and blockage. The study finds that external corrosion and third-party construction damage are the primary causes of pipeline network operation failures, while the lack of dynamic real-time monitoring and early warning mechanisms further amplifies accident risks. On this basis, this paper puts forward targeted risk prevention and control measures covering real-time monitoring, regular detection, standardized operation and emergency disposal, aiming to reduce the failure probability of pipeline networks, improve operational stability, and provide technical reference for the safe and efficient operation of oil and gas pipeline systems.

Keywords: oil and gas pipeline network; operation risk; risk assessment; pipeline failure; safety monitoring.