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GATE Syllabus for Petroleum Engineering (PE) 2023- Important Topics, Weightage, Exam Pattern, Question Papers

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Content Curator updated | Updated On - Dec 27, 2022

GATE Syllabus for Petroleum Engineering (PE) 2023 has been released. No new changes have been made to the syllabus this year. GATE Syllabus for Petroleum Engineering (PE) 2023 consists of topics from General Aptitude, Engineering Mathematics and Core Discipline. The General Aptitude section of GATE Petroleum Engineering (PE) Syllabus constitutes 15% of the total weightage while Engineering Mathematics and Core Discipline constitute 13% and 72% weightage respectively. Check GATE Exam Pattern 2023

  • The Core Discipline syllabus for GATE Petroleum Engineering (PE) is further divided into 16 major topics including Petroleum Exploration, Oil and Gas Well Drilling Technology, Reservoir Engineering, Petroleum Production Operations, Offshore Drilling and Production Practices, etc.
  • GATE Petroleum Engineering Question Paper consists of 65 questions of 100 marks with 10 questions for General Aptitude and 55 questions for Engineering Mathematics and Core Discipline. 
  • Candidates appearing for Petroleum Engineering (PE) as their first paper in GATE 2023 can opt for CH, GG or XE as their second paper. 

Table of Contents

  1. GATE PE Syllabus 2023
  2. GATE PE Exam Pattern 2023 
    2.1 GATE PE Marking Scheme 2023
  3. GATE PE- Weightage of Important Topics
  4. GATE PE Preparation 2023
    4.1 GATE PE Books
    4.2 GATE PE Question Papers
  5. GATE 2023 Syllabus Of Other Papers
  6. GATE PE Syllabus 2023 FAQs

Quick Links: 

GATE 2023 Mock Test GATE 2023 Online Coaching GATE 2023 Preparation Tips
GATE 2023 Cutoff GATE 2023 Score Validity GATE 2023 Books
GATE PE Syllabus

GATE Syllabus for Petroleum Engineering (PE) 2023- Important Topics and Sub-Topics

  • GATE Syllabus 2023 for Petroleum Engineering (PE) consists of topics from-
    • General Aptitude
    • Engineering Mathematics
    • Core Discipline
  • The section below covers all the topics and sub-topics from GATE Petroleum Engineering (PE) Syllabus 2023.
GATE Syllabus for Petroleum Engineering (PE)- Download PDF

GATE Syllabus for Petroleum Engineering (PE) 2023- General Aptitude

Topics Sub-Topics
Verbal Aptitude Basic English grammar: tenses, articles, adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions, verb-noun agreement, and other parts of speech Basic vocabulary: words, idioms, and phrases in context Reading and comprehension Narrative sequencing
Quantitative Aptitude Data interpretation: data graphs (bar graphs, pie charts, and other graphs representing data), 2- and 3-dimensional plots, maps, and tables Numerical computation and estimation: ratios, percentages, powers, exponents and logarithms, permutations and combinations, and series Mensuration and geometry Elementary statistics and probability. 
Analytical Aptitude Logic: deduction and induction, Analogy, Numerical relations and reasoning
Spatial Aptitude Transformation of shapes: translation, rotation, scaling, mirroring, assembling, and grouping Paper folding, cutting, and patterns in 2 and 3 dimensions

​GATE Syllabus for Petroleum Engineering (PE) 2023- Engineering Mathematics

Topics Sub-Topics
Linear Algebra Matrix algebra, Systems of linear equations, Eigen values and eigenvectors
Calculus Functions of single variable, Limit, continuity and differentiability, Taylor series, Mean value theorems, Evaluation of definite and improper integrals, Partial derivatives, Total derivative, Maxima and minima, Gradient, Divergence and Curl, Vector identities, Directional derivatives, Line, Surface and Volume integrals, Stokes, Gauss and Green’s theorems.
Differential Equations First order equations (linear and nonlinear), Higher order linear differential equations with constant coefficients, Cauchy’s and Euler’s equations, Initial and boundary value problems, Laplace transforms, Solutions of one dimensional heat and wave equations and Laplace equation.
Probability and Statistics Definitions of probability and sampling theorems, Conditional probability, Mean, median, mode and standard deviation, Random variables, Poisson, Normal and Binomial distributions, Linear regression analysis.
Numerical Methods Numerical solutions of linear and non-linear algebraic equations. Integration by trapezoidal and Simpson’s rule. Single and multi-step methods for numerical solution of differential equations.
Complex Variables Complex number, polar form of complex number, triangle inequality.

GATE Syllabus for Petroleum Engineering (PE) 2023- Core Discipline

Topics Sub-Topics
Petroleum Exploration
  • Classification and description of some common rocks with special reference to clastic and non-clastic reservoir rocks. Origin, migration and accumulation of Petroleum. Petroleum exploration methods.
Oil and Gas Well Drilling Technology
  • Well planned. Drilling method. Drilling rigs Rig operating systems.
  • Drilling fluids function and properties. Drilling fluid maintenance equipment.
  • Oil & gas well-cementing operations. Drill bit types and their applications. Drill string & Casing string function, operations, selection & design.
  • Drilling problems, their control & remedies. Directional drilling tools. Directional survey. Application of horizontal, multilateral, extended reach, slim wells.
Reservoir Engineering
  • Petrophysical properties of reservoir rocks. Coring and core analysis. Reservoir fluid properties.
  • Phase behavior of hydrocarbon system. The flow of fluids through porous media.
  • Water and gas coming. Reservoir pressure measurements. Reservoir drives, drive mechanics, and recovery factors. Reserve estimation techniques.
Petroleum Production Operations
  • Well equipment. Well-completion techniques. Well production problems and mitigation. Well servicing & Workover operations.
  • Workover & completion fluids. Formation damage. Well stimulation techniques. Artificial lift techniques. Field processing of oil & gas.
  • Storage and transportation of petroleum and petroleum products. Metering and measurements oil & gas. Production system analysis & optimization. Production testing. Multiphase flow in tubing and flow-lines. Nodal system analysis. Pressure vessels, storage tanks, shell and tube heat exchangers, pumps and compressors, LNG value chain.
Offshore Drilling and Production Practices
  • Offshore oil and gas operations & ocean environment. Offshore fixed platforms, Offshore mobile units, Station keeping methods like mooring & dynamic positioning system.
  • Offshore drilling from fixed platform, jack-up, ships and semi submersibles. Use of conductors and risers. Offshore well completion.
  • Deep water applications of subsea technology. Offshore production: Oil processing platforms, water injection platforms, storage, SPM and SBM transportation and utilities. Deep water drilling rig. Deep water production system. Emerging deep water technologies.
Petroleum Formation Evaluation
  • Evaluation of petrophysical of sub-surface formations: Principles applications, advantages and disadvantages of SP, resistivity, radioactive, acoustic logs and types of tools used.
  • Evaluation of CBL/VDL, USIT, SFT, RFT. Production logging tools, principles, limitations, deepwater, and applications. The special type of logging tools.
  • Casing inspection tools (principles, applications, and limitations), Formations micro scanner (FMS), NMR logging principles. Standard log interpretation methods. Cross-plotting methods.
Oil and Gas Well Testing
  • Diffusivity equation, derivation & solutions. The radius of investigation. Principle of superposition. Horner’s approximation. Drill Stem Testing.
  • Pressure Transient Tests: Drawdown and buildup- test analysis. Wellbore effects. Multilayer reservoirs. Injection well testing. Multiple well testing. Interference testing, Pulse testing, well-test analysis by use of type curves. Gas well testing.
Health Safety and Environment in Petroleum Industry
  • Health hazards in Petroleum Industry: Toxicity, Physiological, Asphyxiation, respiratory and skin effect of petroleum hydrocarbons, sour gases. Safety System: Manual & automatic shutdown system, blowdown systems. Gas detection system. Fire detection and suppression systems. Personal protection system & measures.
  • HSE Policies. Disaster & crisis management in Petroleum Industry. Environment: Environment concepts, impact on the ecosystem, air, water, and soil. The impact of drilling & production operations on the environment, Environmental transport of petroleum wastes. Offshore environmental studies. Offshore oil spill and oil spill control. Waste treatment methods.
Enhanced Oil Recovery Techniques
  • Basic principles and mechanism of EOR, Screening of EOR process. Concept of pattern flooding, recovery efficiency, permeability heterogeneity. Macroscopic and microscopic displacement efficiency.
  • EOR methods: Chemical flooding, Miscible flooding, Thermal recoveries (steam stimulation, hot water & steam flooding, in-situ combustion), MicrobialEOR.
Latest trends in Petroleum Engineering
  • Coal bed methane, shale gas, oil shale, gas hydrate, and heavy oil and Petroleum Engineering
GATE PE Exam Pattern

GATE Petroleum Engineering (PE) Exam Pattern 2023

Feature Description
GATE PE Exam Date To be Updated
GATE PE Exam Session One- Forenoon (09:00 – 12:00 hrs)
GATE PE Examination Mode Computer Based Test (CBT)
GATE PE Exam Language English
GATE PE Duration 3 Hours (180 Minutes)
GATE PE Sectional Time Limit None
GATE PE Total Marks 100
GATE PE Total Number of questions 65
GATE PE Type of Questions Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ);
Multiple Select Questions (MSQ);
Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions
GATE PE Number of Sections Three- General Aptitude, Engineering Mathematics and Core Discipline
GATE PE Section-wise Number of Questions General Aptitude- 10 questions,
Engineering Mathematics & Core Discipline- 55 questions
GATE PE Section-wise Weightage General Aptitude- 15 marks,
Engineering Mathematics- 13 marks;
Core Discipline- 72 marks
GATE PE Marking Scheme 1 or 2 marks for each correct answer
GATE PE Negative Marking For 1 mark MCQ, 1/3 mark will be deducted for a wrong answer;
For 2-mark MCQ, 2/3 mark will be deducted for a wrong answer;
No negative marking for MSQs and NATs
GATE PE Marking Scheme

GATE Petroleum Engineering (PE) Marking Scheme 2023

  • As per GATE Petroleum Engineering (PE) exam pattern 2023, the paper is of 100 marks including 1 mark and 2 marks questions. 
  • There is no negative marking for NATs and MSQs. However, marks will be deducted for each incorrect MCQ in the paper.
Sections Total Questions Total Marks
1 mark Questions 2 marks Questions
General Aptitude 5 5 (5 x 1) + (5 x 2) = 15
Engineering Mathematics 25 30 (25 x 1) + (30 x 2) = 85
Core Discipline- Petroleum Engineering
Total 30 35 100

GATE Petroleum Engineering (PE) Negative Marking 2023

Type of Question GATE 2023 PE Negative Marking
1 Mark Questions 2 Marks Questions
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) 1/3 mark 2/3 mark
Multiple Select Questions (MSQs) No negative marking  No negative marking 
Numerical Answer Type (NATs) No negative marking No negative marking

Quick Links:

GATE 2023 Mock Tests  GATE 2023 Exam Pattern
GATE PE Weightage of Topics

GATE Syllabus for Petroleum Engineering (PE) 2023 - Weightage of Important Topics (Expected)

Based on the previous year’s trends, the table below includes the topic-wise expected weightage of GATE Petroleum Engineering (PE). These will help candidates devise their strategy for GATE 2023 Preparation. 

Topics Expected Weightage (Marks)
Petroleum Geology & Exploration 5
Oil & Gas Drilling Technology 10
Reservoir Engineering 8
Petroleum Production Operations 11
Offshore Drilling & Production Practices 6
Formation Evaluation 8
Oil & Gas Well Testing 6
HSE in petroleum Industry 5
EOR Techniques 7
Latest trends in PE 4

Also Check: What will be the Validity of GATE 2023 Score?

GATE PE Preparation

GATE Petroleum Engineering (PE) Preparation 2023

This section provides details on a few preparation tips and best resources such as important books and previous year question papers for candidates appearing for the petroleum engineering (PE) paper of GATE 2023. 

  • Start Early- While creating a study plan, create a list of all the important topics in order to the levels of difficulty and number of sub-topics to ensure allocation of the right preparation time to all the topics.
  • Know your GATE 2023 Petroleum Engineering (PE) Exam Pattern and Syllabus well- ​You must be aware of all the important topics and the marking scheme of the exam before you start preparing.
  • Gather the Best Study Resources for PE- Select proper material to study such as books, modules, online references, articles, videos, etc. You can also refer to online videos through NPTEL which have access to video lectures by IIT professors. 
  • Revision and Solve Mock Tests/Sample Papers/Previous Years’ Question Paper- Dedicate at least an hour for revision every day and appear for various mock tests right from the start of your GATE 2023 PE preparation.

Quick Links:

GATE 2023 Preparation GATE 2023 Books GATE 2023 Online Coaching
GATE 2023 Question Papers GATE 2023 Mock Tests GATE 2023 Virtual Calculator

GATE Petroleum Engineering (PE) Preparation 2023- Best Books

Books Author/ Publisher
Khanna’s Objective Questions in Petroleum Engineering Vikas Mahto, Khanna Book Publishing Company Private Limited
Introduction to Petroleum Engineering John R. Fanchi, Wiley-Blackwell
HPCL Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited Boiler Technician Mechanical Engineering G.K Publications PVT.LTD
Elements of Petroleum Refinery Engineering OP Gupta, Khanna Publishers
Applied Petroleum Reservoir Engineering Ronald E. Terry, Prentice Hall
GATE PE Question Papers

GATE Petroleum Engineering (PE) Preparation 2023- Previous Years’ Question Papers 

Year Link for GATE PE Question Paper Link for GATE PE Answer Key
2021 Download PDF  Download PDF 
2020 Download PDF  Download PDF 
2019 Download PDF  Download PDF 
2018 Download PDF  Download PDF 
2017 Download PDF  Download PDF 

GATE 2023 Syllabus Of Other Papers

Paper Code Paper Code
Aerospace Engineering AE Mechanical Engineering ME
Computer Science CS Metallurgical Engineering MT
Civil Engineering CE Mining Engineering MN
Chemical Engineering CH Petroleum Engineering PE
Engineering Sciences XE Production and Industrial Engineering PI
Electronics and Communication EC Textile Engineering and Fibre Science TF
Electrical Engineering EE Biotechnology BT
Frequently Asked Questions

GATE Syllabus for Petroleum Engineering (PE) 2023 FAQs

Ques: Based on the weightage of sections what could be the most important sections from GATE 2023 Petroleum Engineering Syllabus?

Ans: All the sections are very important because the basics or concepts are interrelated which means one cannot leave any topics from GATE 2023 Petroleum Engineering Syllabus during your preparation. However, there are some of the most important topics from which one can expect the maximum number of questions. If one prepare these sections well then good marks can easily be scored. Some of the important topics are:

  • Oil & Gas Drilling Technology
  • Petroleum Production Operations
  • Reservoir Engineering
  • Formation Evaluation
  • EOR Techniques

Ques: Is there any negative marking in GATE Petroleum Engineering 2023?

Ans: In GATE Petroleum Engineering 2023, only the MCQs have negative marking. Find below the marking scheme for the entire paper for further details. 

Type of Question Correct Answer Incorrect Answer
MCQ 1 or 2 Marks ⅓ for 1 mark questions ⅔ for 2 marks questions
NAT/MSQs 1 or 2 Marks No Negative Marking

Ques: What are the best books to prepare for the GATE 2023 Petroleum Engineering Syllabus?

Ans: Candidates are advised to refer to the books or notes from their graduation because the whole syllabus will be based on graduation level. The best books to prepare for GATE 2023 Petroleum Engineering Syllabus are mentioned below:

  • Khanna’s Objective Questions in Petroleum Engineering – By Vikas Mahto, Khanna Book Publishing Company Private Limited
  • Introduction to Petroleum Engineering – By John R. Fanchi, Wiley-Blackwell

Ques: Do I need to prepare for engineering mathematics topics while preparing for the GATE Petroleum Engineering paper?

Ans: Yes, the Engineering Mathematics section carry a considerable amount of weightage in GATE Petroleum Engineering 2023. Hence, the students need to prepare for that. The topics that they need to cover from this section are:

  • Linear Algebra
  • Complex variables
  • Calculus
  • Differential Equations
  • Probability and Statistics
  • Numerical Methods

Ques. What will be the difficulty level of GATE Petroleum Engineering 2023? 

Ans. According to the previous year’s trends, the difficulty level of GATE Petroleum Engineering ranges from easy to moderate. The students need to practice thoroughly to ace this exam. Check GATE Paper Analysis 

Ques. Which are the institutes that accept GATE Petroleum Engineering 2023 scores? 

Ans. The following colleges accept GATE Petroleum Engineering scores: 

  • IIT Mumbai
  • Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology (RGIPT), UttarPradesh
  • Universities of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), Dehradun
  • Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University (PDPU), Gandhinagar
  • Dibrugarh University Institute of Engineering and Technology (DUIET)
  • Bhagwant University: Institute of Engineering and Technology, Ajmer
  • Global Institute of Engineering and Technology, Vellore

Ques. How to prepare for GATE Petroleum Engineering 2023? 

Ans. Candidates can follow some of these tips for preparation of GATE petroleum engineering 2023: 

  • Solve GATE petroleum Engineering Mock Tests
  • Start with the basic concepts or topics. 
  • Candidates must practice virtual calculators so that they can develop a habit of using the same.

Check Detailed GATE 2023 Preparation Tips

Ques. What is the GATE Syllabus for Petroleum Engineering 2023?

Ans. GATE Syllabus for Petroleum Engineering 2023 is as follows: 

  • General Aptitude
  • Engineering Mathematics
  • Core Discipline- PE
    • Petroleum Exploration
    • Oil and Gas Well Drilling Technology
    • Reservoir Engineering
    • Petroleum Production Operations
    • Offshore Drilling and Production Practices
    • Petroleum Formation Evaluation
    • Oil and Gas Well Testing
    • Health Safety and Environment in Petroleum Industry
    • Enhanced Oil Recovery Techniques
    • Latest trends in Petroleum Engineering

Ques. How many candidates clear GATE Petroleum Engineering every year? 

Ans. Around 21-30% of candidates clear GATE Petroleum Engineering every year. The students are advised to practice a good amount of mock tests before appearing for GATE 2023 to ace it.

Ques. What is the cut-off for the previous session of GATE Petroleum Engineering?

Ans. The cut-off for GATE Petroleum Engineering is 51.40 for the previous exam cycle. The GATE meCut Off varies for each year. The students are advised to check out the previous year’s trends to set their desired cut-off range. 

*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.

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