Natural gas plays an increasing important role in the China’s energy revolution. The rapid market development and refined government regulation demand improvements in the natural gas transport pipeline network. Therefore, it is of great theoretical and practical significance to conduct a study regarding the layout of pipeline networks. To reflect the comprehensive benefits of pipeline projects and obtain global optimal solution, this study introduces the dominance degree model (DDM). Aiming at optimizing the layout of natural gas transport pipeline networks, this paper studies the uncertainty of the DDM and the corresponding method for network layout. This study proposes an uncertainty analysis based on the Monte Carlo method to quantify the uncertainty of the DDM and its influential factors. Finally, the methodology is applied to the real case of a natural gas transport pipeline project in Zhejiang Province, China. The calculation results suggest that the methodology appropriately addresses the problem of pipeline network layout for natural gas transport. This has important implications for other potential pipeline networks not only in the Zhejiang Province but also throughout China and beyond.

Abstract. At the phase of 13-th five-year plan in China, natural gas will play an important role in energy revolution. With the growth of consumption, natural gas infrastructures will become hot spots of future investment and pipeline network construction will also usher in a period of rapid development. Therefore, it is of great theoretical and practical significance to study layout methods of transport pipeline network. This paper takes natural gas transport pipeline network as a research object, introduces dominance degree to analyse benefits of pipeline projects. Then, this paper proposes Dominance Degree Model (DDM) of transport pipeline projects based on Potential Model (PM) and Economic Potential Theory (EPT). According to DDM of gas transport pipeline projects, layout methods of pipeline network are put forward, which is simple and easy to obtain the overall optimal solution and ensure maximum comprehensive benefits. What's more, construction sequences of gas transport pipeline projects can be also determined. Finally, the model is applied to a real case of natural gas transport pipeline projects in Zhejiang Province, China. The calculation results suggest that the model should deal with the transport pipeline network layout problem well, which have important implications for other potential pipeline networks not only in the Zhejiang Province but also throughout China and beyond.

Integrated energy supply service stations (IES) are a new type of transportation energy infrastructure offering the advantages of comprehensive functions and intensive land use while providing more convenient and efficient energy supply services. Through the analysis of service station characteristics, this study regards the IES as a spatially superimposed combination of various energy supply services, proposes a layout method from the perspective of combination optimization, and establishes a station optimization model for energy supply stations. This method aims to further coordinate and optimize the combination of various energy supply stations to achieve global optimization of the energy supply service system. Finally, this study uses a hypothetical situation for example analysis to verify the validity and rationality of the method. The layout plan proposed in this study has important theoretical and practical significance for how to achieve the optimal layout of an IES.