Energy reserve and emergency mechanism are important means to ensure energy safety of a state. With high development of economy in China, demands for energy are increasing. Energy is lifeline of national economy, material basis for developing economy and improving living standard, prime power for driving society to operate normally. In history, several wars broke out because of energy dispute. Ensuring energy safety cannot only ensure demands for high development of economy. It is also the symbol of political forces and military of a country.
 
At present, energy reserve system in China is still not perfect enough, which cannot adapt to meet the demands on domestic and overseas energy market. For that, start from ensuring sustainable development of economy in China. Based on industrial characteristics and regional situations, integrated planning, rational distribution and implement by step accelerate the construction of nationwide energy reserve system and energy safety early warning emergency system, taking precautions against or responding the risks of energy supply effectively to ensure energy market running smoothly in China.
 
Petroleum plays a key role in national economy and social life. Petroleum attracts attention due to turbulent international situations and fluctuant oil prices. Rapid growth of demands for energy in China results ensuring abundant energy supply to becoming priority in development. Since 1993, China has changed from net exporter of oil to net importer of oil. In 2003, China became the second largest oil consumption country, next to the U.S. In 2004, China became the third largest oil importing country next to the U.S. and Japan. The demands for oil are increasing gradually although China has abundant coal resources and economy development is still on the basis of coal resources. Import volume of oil account for about half of total domestic consumption. In 2012, demands for petroleum were 4.92 hundred million tons, increased by 5% on year-on-year basis. External dependence reached to 57.8 increased by 1.27% compared with 2011. External dependence of oil in China was 57.4% in 2014. The risks of oil and gas industry are also increasing for the increasing demands for oil on international market and high external dependence of oil in China. As the core of petroleum safety strategy, sophisticated strategic petroleum reserve system can relieve weak balanced relationship between supply and demand of global energy, avoiding frequent fluctuations on oil market and high vibration of international oil price. Accelerating the construction and perfection of strategic petroleum reserve system has close relationship with smooth operation of the whole national economy and national security. Ensuring steady production and supply of oil has more and prominent influence on international actions of the main energy exporting countries and energy importing countries in the world. Energy safety concerning with national security and economic steady development, is key factor for measuring comprehensive national power. Establishing strategic petroleum reserve system is helpful for improving security and stability of oil supply, ensuring supply security and sustainable development of oil realistically, according with the requirement for oil security in China and having significant practical significance.
 
In general, Building up strategic petroleum reserve system is urgent affair. From the internal environment, with oil market in China being close gradual maturity, variation on international oil market has more and more obvious influence on domestic energy market. Accelerating the construction and perfection of strategic petroleum reserve system is particular urgent. From external environment, security situation of oil in China is increasingly serious. Continuous extensive external dependence and imbalance between supply and demand push the construction of strategic petroleum reserve system in further. Compared with perfect and mature oil reserve system in developed countries, construction and management process in China steel need to be improved because of China starts strategic petroleum reserve later.