A study on Synthetic Evaluation and Selection of Transport Mode for Oil and Natural Gas

With a view to environment protection and sustainable development, industrialized countries give priority to develop oil and natural gas industry. Pipeline and waterway transport are the main option modes to transport oil and gas, which have their each characteristics, strengths, competences, and inter-substitution. Therefore, to make decision and to solve the problem of efficiency transport for oil and natural gas by synthetic appraisal of transport mode between waterway transport and pipeline, which aims to realize energy transport in a rational way and harmonized development, and to avoid malignant competition and duple-construction, is critically essential. This paper put forward a synthetic evaluation method that "L-coefficient" formula integrates AHP (analysis of hierarchy process) with fuzzy synthesis theory to evaluate and select a mode of transport of oil and natural gas between waterway transport or pipeline by practical way and analysis quantitatively and qualitatively from overall consideration on the benefits of both social and financial aspects. The study verifies that the synthetic evaluation of transport mode for oil and gas is applicable to make effective decision through a case analysis and finally gets some constructive conclusions and suggestions on considering the facts of China in oil and natural gas transport, by analysis and comparison between oil pipeline and oil-shipping and by analysis and comparison between pipeline of gas and shipping of LPG.