Chinese legislators began discussing a draft law on the protection of oil and gas pipelines which are increasingly facing problems due to rapid urbanization and the expansion of pipeline networks. People stealing from pipelines could face heavy fines of up to 10 times the value of the stolen oil or gas, according to the draft law tabled with the country's top legislature on October 27.

The director of the State Council's Legislative Affairs Office told the 11th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) that the country’s oil and gas network was "threatened by rampant theft of oil and gas through illegal siphoning on the pipelines, as well as possible terrorist attacks." He urged a special law to regulate and better coordinate pipeline construction with the demands of urban planning, to enhance protective measures, and to clarify responsibilities of different departments.

The total length of China’s oil and gas pipelines has risen to over 70,000 km from 22,000 km in 1997. China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), which owns 65 percent of the country's oil and gas pipelines, reported more than 36,000 cases of oil theft from pipelines between 2002 and 2006.1

• 1. “China considers new law to protect oil pipelines,” Xinhua, October 27, 2009, at http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2009-10/27/content_8856857.htm