As the natural gas pipeline network in China is densified increasingly, its operation becomes more and more complicated, bringing challenges to the research on topology structure and gas supply reliability. In recent years, with the deepening of its research, the complex network theory has been widely applied in the transportation, water, power and other transmission networks. In order to draw on the current progress of the application of complex network theory in similar transmission networks, the main application results in topology structure analysis, transmission reliability evaluation, bottleneck identification, network area division and network flow tracking of were investigated and summarized. Then, according to the status of research on natural gas pipeline network in China, and suggestions were put forward for the development. Specifically, a random sampling method, network flow algorithm and artificial intelligence demand forecasting method for reliability evaluation were developed based on the scale-free characteristics of natural gas pipeline networks. Meanwhile, 3 types of identification methods for bottlenecks were developed, a division algorithm for areas was formed, and different network flow tracking algorithms were proposed for various types of business modes. In addition, analysis on characteristics of topology structure of pipeline networks should be performed, a evaluation method for gas supply reliability should be proposed, and the bottlenecks of pipeline network should be identified with the network flow model, so as to provide basis for the construction of new pipelines. Moreover, the area division should be based on the supply characteristics, and a set of gas flow tracking algorithm should be developed for the settlement of pipeline transportation fees. In general, the research results could provide technical reference to development of natural gas pipeline network.