New regulations for oil and gas infrastructure have been introduced and will come into effect on January 1, 2026.

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Recently, the **Development and Reform Commission revised and issued the \"Regulations on the Planning, Construction, Operation and Management of Oil and Gas Infrastructure\", hereinafter referred to as the \"Regulations\", which will come into effect on January 1, 2026. The original \"Management Measures\" were issued and put into effect in 2014, playing an important role in promoting investment in oil and gas infrastructure as well as its efficient economic operation. However, in light of the new circumstances and requirements arising from the industry’s development, they need to be revised and improved. Based on China’s national conditions and the current development stage of the oil and gas industry, the Management Measures have seen revisions to seven key areas: first, to support the green and low-carbon development of the oil and gas industry. Strengthen scientific and technological research and equipment development in the infrastructure sector, promote the digitalization and intelligence of infrastructure construction and operation, drive the green and low-carbon transformation of oil and gas pipelines, and foster the development of new technologies, new industries, and new business models. Second, improve the planning system for oil and gas infrastructure. The planning of oil and gas infrastructure is covered in a separate chapter. Provincial and lower-level plans must be implemented **effectively, with adequate support for the necessary resources provided; furthermore, there should be better coordination between oil and gas planning and other types of spatial planning. Strengthen the coordinated planning at both inter-provincial and provincial levels; local authorities shall not carry out separate planning or approval processes for oil and gas pipeline projects that cross borders or provinces (regions, municipalities). Third, streamline the investment and construction mechanism for oil and gas pipeline infrastructure. **In accordance with the plan, the Pipeline Network Group assumes the primary responsibility for the construction of oil and gas main pipelines as well as the responsibility for connecting these pipelines to other networks in society; it also supports various forms of private capital in participating in such projects on a market-based basis. State-owned large oil and gas enterprises as well as various forms of private capital are allowed to invest in the construction of pipeline facilities such as those that are not part of the main pipelines, in accordance with the government’s unified plans. Qualified private capital is encouraged to participate in the investment and construction of oil and gas storage facilities, liquefied natural gas receiving stations, etc. Fourth, optimize the pipeline network operation mechanism by building on a \"national unified network\". Strictly implement the principles and requirements regarding the separation of operation and marketing in main pipeline networks as part of the pipeline network reform, and clarify relevant regulations such as the scope of activities that pipeline network companies and competitive enterprises upstream and downstream are prohibited from engaging in. Accelerate the separation of operation and marketing in provincial pipeline networks; ensure financial independence for pipeline transportation operations, and establish separate property rights where conditions permit ； Promote the integration of provincial pipeline networks into **pipeline networks on a market-based basis. Improve and standardize the standards for the intake and distribution of refined oil products, accelerate sequential transportation, gradually promote label-free transportation, and explore new media for pipeline transport. Strengthen the coordination of plans for the maintenance, renovation, and decommissioning of oil and gas infrastructure. Fifth, clarify the relationship between facility access and use, as well as fair openness. The connection and utilization of facilities cover all aspects of the planning, construction, and operation of oil and gas infrastructure. Energy authorities at the provincial level and above must carry out their responsibilities for industry management and coordination of major matters throughout the entire process, adopting a systematic approach, tailoring measures to local conditions, and implementing precise strategies to promote high-quality development in this industry. The fair and open access to pipeline networks applies to those pipeline facilities that have been built, put into operation, and are used to provide public services; it represents a specific mandatory requirement in the use of such facilities. It is necessary to clearly define the entities subject to regulation and to enforce oversight in strict accordance with the law. Sixth, strengthen natural gas reserves and improve the market mechanism for gas storage and peak shaving. The Management Measures specify 5% for gas supply enterprises, **pipeline network companies, and urban gas enterprises, as well as a 5-day emergency gas storage capacity requirement for local governments. It synchronizes with a fulfillment approach and market mechanism of \"large storage facilities and stations, intensive layout, collaborative development, and leasing or purchase\", in order to prevent the allocation of gas storage responsibilities at various levels and to curb the widespread establishment of small-scale gas storage facilities. Seventh, clarify legal responsibilities and standardize term definitions. Clear definitions have been provided for oil and gas main pipelines and provincial-level pipelines, which are of widespread concern to society. At the same time, in accordance with the relevant requirements of the State Council’s Regulations on the Procedures for Formulating Rules, the language used in such rules has been comprehensively streamlined and standardized. In advancing the implementation of the Management Measures and the related supporting rules, the **Development and Reform Commission** and the **Energy Bureau** are focusing on two key tasks at present: first, to formulate a scientific national oil and gas development plan for the 15th Five-Year Plan period, to determine the layout of major oil and gas infrastructure projects; meanwhile, to enhance coordination and integration among plans at the provincial and intra-provincial levels, to provide better guidance and coordination for provincial-level energy and oil and gas plans, and to optimize the layout of the national infrastructure network in a scientific manner. Second, implement the Energy Law and the Management Measures to comprehensively strengthen the connection and use of facilities, and formulate detailed guiding principles for the connection and use of oil and gas facilities.