The north-western part of the country was the focus for oil exploration in China in the early 1950s. Lanzhou refinery-the first imported modern refinery in the country was completed in 1958. The oil transportation pipeline(from Kramy to Dushnazi) completed in Dec.1958 marked the start in long distance transportation pipeline history in China. The overall length of oil transportation pipelines in the north-western part of China is 4102.7km.

Hua-Ge pipeline starts at youshashan of Huatugou in Xizhou county, Qinghai and terminates at the southern suburb of Germu city, Qinghai provinceto supply oil to Germu refinery. This project initialed in Sep.1987 and was put into operation on Sep.21,1990. It has a total length of 435.6km, design pressure 6.27Mpa and an annual transportation capacity 100×104 tons. The pipeline was designed by Pipeline Survey & design institute and constructed by No. 1 & 3 pipeline companies. In 1977, it was revamped and expanded in two phases to reach a capacity of 200×104 tons. It was the first time in China that an open-wire carrier automatic remote control system is applied in Hua-Ge pipeline. It is also the first oil transportation pipeline laid in plateau area with the highest elevation of 342m at Dawu mountain.

Lun-Ku pipeline(Lunnan to Kuerle) is the first oil sales pipeline in Tarim oilfield ,through which the oil is loaded on train at Kurle. The construction initialed on Jul.2,1991 and completed on the first day of Jul.1992. It has a total length 191.79 km and an annual transportation capacity of 100 ×104 to 300 ×104 tons. The pipeline survey & design institute and the No. 2 pipeline company were responsible for design and construction of the pipeline respectively. Many new technologies had been applied during pipeline design and construction, for instance, satellite remote sensing positioning for optimization of the pipeline orientation; Chinese operation for automatic control and integrated transmission through interactive images, graphic and language for monitor and management; solar and wind energy used as power source for cathode protection etc.

Tar-Lun pipeline(Tarzhong to Lunnan) is the first pipeline passing through mobile desert in the country, of which 75 percent is located in Tarkelama desert. The pipeline construction initialed on the first day of Jul.1995 and was put into operation on Aug.16,1996 with an annual transportation capacity of 100×104t to 600 ×104t. In its overall length 302.15km, a gas transmission pipeline and an optical communication cable are laid in the same ditch.

Ku-Shan pipeline(Kuerle to Shanshan) is the first pipeline with high pressure and long spacing between stations and X65 steel pipes used in the country. The pipeline construction initialed in Jun.1996 and completed on Jun.30,1997 with a total length of 475km, a design pressure 8Mpa and an annual transportation capacity of 500 ×104t at phase 1 and 1000 ×104t at phase 2. A Pipeline Automation System(PAS) is adopted along the whole line, which passes across rivers, canals, railways and roads at 33 places. A directionally passing through was applied for Kaidu rivers with a width 736.4m. It was designed by the formal pipeline survey & design institute jointly with an Italian company and constructed by No. 1, 2 & 3 pipeline companies, pipeline telecom company, Sichuan oilfield construction company, Zhongyuan oilfield construction company and Luoyang company.

The construction of Ma-Hui-Ning pipeline(Maling - Huianbao-Zhongning) commenced in Aug.1978 and completed in Jun.1979 with a total length 164km and an annual transportation capacity 350×104t. It runs across rivers and canals at 44 places, railways at 2 places and roads at 41 places. The pipeline survey 7 design institute and the no. 3 pipeline company were responsible for the design and construction respectively.