On June 8, at the recently held 2026 Oil and Gas Infrastructure Planning, Construction and Pipeline Protection Work Conference, China's National Energy Administration made clear that 2026 is the opening year of the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, and that investment in and construction of oil and gas infrastructure should be further intensified, with major projects under the "15th Five-Year Plan" to be launched wherever possible and invested in wherever possible.

　　The conference noted that the construction of oil and gas pipeline networks and gas storage capacity during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period achieved notable results, effectively responding to multiple rounds of geopolitical conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the US-Israel-Iran situation, as well as the impact of extreme weather, and that the resilience and flexibility of the oil and gas market improved significantly.

　　The conference made clear that planning coordination between inter-provincial and intra-provincial oil and gas pipeline networks should be strengthened, the mechanisms for accessing and using pipeline network facilities should be improved, and it should be ensured that pipelines conforming to government plans and national trunk pipelines are connected wherever possible. The "nationwide unified network" for oil and gas should be continuously improved, the scale of oil and gas reserves should be constantly increased, and coordination between oil and gas and hydrogen-based energy pipeline transmission systems should be advanced to better serve the construction of a new energy system.

　　The conference emphasized that focus should be placed on key links such as clearing pipeline encroachments, controlling third-party construction, and handling engineering encounters and crossings, so as to comprehensively strengthen risk prevention, control and response. Scientific and technological empowerment for pipeline protection should be enhanced, new artificial intelligence technologies should be actively promoted, and regions with the necessary conditions should expand new pipeline inspection models such as drone patrols.

　　The conference required that great attention be paid to and every effort made to ensure natural gas supply during the summer peak period; upstream gas supply enterprises should assume the primary responsibility for gas source supply security; PipeChina should assume the primary responsibility for the safe operation of pipelines; and provincial energy authorities should actively fulfill their territorial responsibilities for natural gas supply security, making every effort to ensure mutual support for gas sources, regional mutual assistance, and gas-electricity coordination, so as to ensure economic development and the energy needs of the public. (End)

Source:China News Service