Abstract. Dilatometry is one of the most popular methods for the study of high temperature physical properties of steel and thermal expansion is considered to be an important factor concerning on the crack formation during casting and rolling for pipeline steel. In the present study, dilatometric curve of X60 pipeline steel was measured with the Gleeble-1500 hot simulator. Phase transformation kinetics of austenite decomposition was analysed with the lever rule based on a suggested model. The tested X60 specimen was found to be about 80% of bainite and about 20% of ferrite at room temperature, which is proved by the OM fractography. Precipitation of proeutectoid ferrite film along austenite grain boundary may be responsible for high-temperature brittleness of pipeline steel.