100+ Free GATE PE Practice Questions

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In directional drilling, 'kick-off point' (KOP) refers to:

The point where the well first enters the producing reservoir

The measured depth at which the wellbore begins to deviate from vertical to build inclination

The depth where the BOP is installed

The depth at which casing is set after surface casing

to track

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: GATE PE Exam

65 questions / 100 marks

GATE 2026 PE paper structure

GATE 2026 Information Brochure (IIT Guwahati)

180 minutes

Total exam duration (3 hours)

gate2026.iitg.ac.in

INR 1000

Application fee for General/OBC candidates

GATE 2026 Information Brochure

15 + 13 + 72

Marks split: GA + Engineering Maths + PE subject

GATE PE 2026 Syllabus

100

Free practice questions here

OpenExamPrep

GATE PE 2026 is a 3-hour computer-based test of 65 questions worth 100 marks covering General Aptitude (15), Engineering Mathematics (~13), and Petroleum Engineering subject topics (~72). MCQ items carry 1/3 or 2/3 negative marking; MSQ and NAT have no negative marking. IIT Guwahati conducts GATE 2026.

Sample GATE PE Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your GATE PE exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A train travelling at 72 km/h decelerates uniformly at 2 m/s² until it stops. What distance does it cover before stopping?

A.50 m

B.100 m

C.200 m

D.400 m

Explanation: Convert 72 km/h to 20 m/s. Using v² = u² − 2as with v = 0, u = 20, a = 2: 0 = 400 − 4s, so s = 100 m. This is a standard kinematics calculation testing unit conversion and the third equation of motion.

2Choose the word that best completes the analogy: Microscope is to Cell as Telescope is to ____.

A.Eye

B.Star

C.Glass

D.Telephone

Explanation: A microscope is the instrument used to observe a cell; analogously, a telescope is the instrument used to observe a star or other distant astronomical object. This is a tool-to-object analogy, a common GATE verbal reasoning pattern.

3If the cost price of an article is INR 400 and the seller marks it 25% above cost and then offers a 20% discount, what is the selling price?

A.INR 380

B.INR 400

C.INR 420

D.INR 500

Explanation: Marked price = 400 × 1.25 = INR 500. Selling price = 500 × (1 − 0.20) = 500 × 0.80 = INR 400. The 25% markup followed by 20% discount nets to no change because (1.25)(0.80) = 1.00.

4In a class of 50 students, the mean mark is 60 and the mean mark of 30 boys is 64. What is the mean mark of the 20 girls?

A.52

B.54

C.56

D.58

Explanation: Total marks of class = 50 × 60 = 3000. Total marks of boys = 30 × 64 = 1920. Total marks of girls = 3000 − 1920 = 1080. Mean mark of girls = 1080 ÷ 20 = 54. This applies the weighted-mean identity nΣx = Σ(group totals).

5Which one of the following sentences is grammatically correct?

A.Neither of the candidates were qualified for the role.

B.Neither of the candidates was qualified for the role.

C.Neither the candidates was qualified for the role.

D.Neither candidates was qualified for the role.

Explanation: 'Neither' is singular when paired with a singular antecedent or used as the subject; the verb must therefore be 'was'. 'Neither of the candidates was qualified' is the standard formal usage, treating 'neither' as the singular subject.

6A bar chart shows monthly oil production (in barrels) of a field: Jan 200, Feb 250, Mar 220, Apr 280, May 260. What is the percentage increase from January to April?

A.30%

B.35%

C.40%

D.45%

Explanation: Percentage increase = ((280 − 200)/200) × 100 = (80/200) × 100 = 40%. Use the percentage-change formula (final − initial)/initial × 100.

7Five friends are sitting in a row. P is to the left of Q but to the right of R. S is to the right of Q but to the left of T. Who is in the middle?

A.P

B.Q

C.R

D.S

Explanation: From clues: R...P...Q (P right of R, P left of Q) and Q...S...T (S right of Q, S left of T). Combined order from left to right: R, P, Q, S, T. The middle (3rd) position is Q.

8The mean of seven numbers is 18. If one number is excluded, the mean of the remaining six numbers becomes 16. What is the excluded number?

A.20

B.24

C.28

D.30

Explanation: Sum of seven numbers = 7 × 18 = 126. Sum of six remaining = 6 × 16 = 96. Excluded number = 126 − 96 = 30. Apply the identity total = mean × count for both sets.

9If 'CIRCLE' is coded as 'XROXOV', then what is the code for 'SPHERE'?

A.HKSVIV

B.HKSEIE

C.HKSVIH

D.HKSIEV

Explanation: The code uses the atbash cipher: each letter is replaced by its mirror in the alphabet (A↔Z, B↔Y, ...). S↔H, P↔K, H↔S, E↔V, R↔I, E↔V. So SPHERE → HKSVIV.

10A boat travels 30 km downstream in 2 hours and the same distance upstream in 3 hours. What is the speed of the current?

A.1.5 km/h

B.2.0 km/h

C.2.5 km/h

D.3.0 km/h

Explanation: Downstream speed = 30/2 = 15 km/h. Upstream speed = 30/3 = 10 km/h. Speed of current = (downstream − upstream)/2 = (15 − 10)/2 = 2.5 km/h. This uses the boat-current relation b+c and b−c.

About the GATE PE Exam

GATE Petroleum Engineering (PE) is one of 30 papers in the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering, jointly conducted by the IITs and IISc under the National Coordination Board (NCB) – GATE. GATE 2026 is being organized by IIT Guwahati. The PE paper screens candidates for M.Tech admissions in petroleum engineering at IIT Bombay, IIT(ISM) Dhanbad, IIT Madras, RGIPT, PDPU, and other institutes, and is also used for direct recruitment by upstream PSUs (ONGC, OIL India, GAIL, BPCL, HPCL, IOCL via GATE scores).

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

180 minutes (3 hours)

Passing Score

Qualifying mark set per session (typically ~25/100 or μ + σ); used for M.Tech admissions and PSU recruitment cutoffs

Exam Fee

INR 1000 (General); INR 500 (SC/ST/PwD/Women) (IIT Guwahati (GATE 2026 organizing institute) on behalf of NCB-GATE, MoE)

GATE PE Exam Content Outline

15%

General Aptitude (GA)

Verbal ability (grammar, vocabulary, comprehension), quantitative aptitude (arithmetic, percentages, averages, ratios), logical and analytical reasoning, and data interpretation. Common across all GATE papers.

~13%

Engineering Mathematics

Linear algebra (matrices, eigenvalues), calculus (limits, derivatives, integrals, multivariate), ODEs and PDEs basics, complex variables, probability and statistics, numerical methods (trapezoidal, Newton-Raphson), and vector calculus.

~8%

Petroleum Exploration

Origin and migration of petroleum, source and reservoir rocks, reservoir traps (anticlinal, fault, stratigraphic, salt-dome), basic well logging tools (gamma ray, SP, resistivity) and qualitative log interpretation.

~10%

Oil and Gas Well Drilling Technology

Rotary rig systems (kelly, mud pumps, top drive), bit types (tricone, PDC), drilling fluids and additives, primary cementing, well control (kicks, BOP), directional drilling, and offshore drilling rigs.

~14%

Reservoir Engineering

Rock-fluid properties (porosity, permeability, saturations, wettability), Darcy's law, capillary pressure, relative permeability, PVT (Bo, Rs, Z, bubble point), material balance, drive mechanisms, and reservoir simulation.

~8%

Petroleum Production Operations

Well completion (cased-hole/open-hole), perforation, production logging, artificial lift (gas lift, ESP, sucker-rod pump, PCP), sand control (gravel pack, frac-pack), surface gathering, two/three-phase separation.

~7%

Offshore Drilling and Production Practices

Offshore platforms (jacket, jack-up, semi-sub, drillship, TLP, spar, FPSO), subsea production trees and manifolds, risers (TTR, SCR, flexible), flow assurance (hydrates, wax, asphaltenes), and subsea well intervention.

~7%

Petroleum Formation Evaluation

Well logging tools (gamma ray, density, neutron, NMR, resistivity, sonic), quantitative log interpretation (Archie), formation testing (MDT/RFT/RCI) and pressure-gradient analysis, coring and special core analysis.

~5%

Oil and Gas Well Testing

Transient (radial) flow, pseudo-steady state, drawdown and buildup tests, Horner plot, skin factor, gas-well deliverability (Rawlins-Schellhardt), and basic well-test interpretation.

~5%

Health Safety and Environment in Petroleum Industry

HSE regulatory framework (OISD, DGH, PNGRB), permit-to-work systems, H₂S and hazardous gases, produced-water treatment, flaring and emissions, and pollution control.

~5%

Enhanced Oil Recovery Techniques

Waterflooding (mobility ratio, sweep efficiency, pattern selection), chemical EOR (polymer, surfactant, ASP), thermal EOR (steam, SAGD), miscible gas EOR (CO₂, hydrocarbon), and EOR screening criteria.

~3%

Latest Trends in Petroleum Engineering

Unconventional resources (shale gas, tight oil, CBM, gas hydrates), horizontal drilling with multi-stage hydraulic fracturing, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and CO₂-EOR with permanent sequestration.

How to Pass the GATE PE Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Qualifying mark set per session (typically ~25/100 or μ + σ); used for M.Tech admissions and PSU recruitment cutoffs
Exam length: 100 questions
Time limit: 180 minutes (3 hours)
Exam fee: INR 1000 (General); INR 500 (SC/ST/PwD/Women)

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

GATE PE Study Tips from Top Performers

1Master the official IIT Guwahati GATE 2026 PE syllabus first — every question is mapped to a listed topic, and there is no scope to bring in non-syllabus content

2Build a strong Engineering Mathematics base (linear algebra, calculus, ODEs, probability, numerical methods) — it overlaps with subject calculations and is high-yield for 13 marks

3Solve the past 10 years of GATE PE question papers under timed conditions — pattern repetition is high, and NAT questions in particular reuse standard formulas

4Memorise key reservoir-engineering formulas: Darcy's law, Archie's equation, material balance, mobility ratio, formation volume factor, and skin factor

5Practice NAT questions with strict numerical precision — GATE scoring requires answers within a narrow tolerance window, often 2 decimal places

6Take at least 8-10 full-length mocks in the last 6 weeks; analyse error patterns and revise weak topics, especially well testing and PVT analysis

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is conducting GATE 2026 and where do I find the official Petroleum Engineering syllabus?

GATE 2026 is being conducted by IIT Guwahati on behalf of the National Coordination Board – GATE, MoE, Government of India. The official portal is gate2026.iitg.ac.in. The Petroleum Engineering (PE) syllabus PDF and information brochure are downloadable from the same site.

What is the GATE PE 2026 exam pattern?

GATE PE 2026 is a 3-hour computer-based test with 65 questions worth 100 marks. The split is General Aptitude (10 questions, 15 marks), Engineering Mathematics (~7 questions, 13 marks), and Petroleum Engineering subject (~48 questions, 72 marks). Question types are MCQ (with negative marking), MSQ, and NAT.

What is the negative marking scheme?

For MCQs: 1/3 mark deducted for a wrong 1-mark question and 2/3 mark deducted for a wrong 2-mark question. There is NO negative marking for MSQ (multiple-select) or NAT (numerical answer type) questions. Unanswered questions get 0.

What is the application fee for GATE 2026 PE?

The application fee for GATE 2026 is INR 1000 for General/OBC candidates and INR 500 for SC/ST/PwD/Female candidates during the regular window. A late fee of INR 500 applies for extended-window submissions. Fees are paid online via the GOAPS portal.

What is GATE PE useful for besides M.Tech admissions?

GATE PE scores are accepted for M.Tech/MS admissions at IIT Bombay, IIT(ISM) Dhanbad, IIT Madras, RGIPT Amethi, PDPU Gandhinagar, and other institutes. Upstream PSUs including ONGC, OIL India, GAIL, BPCL, HPCL, IOCL, and EIL use GATE scores for direct entry-level engineer recruitment. Many international PhD programmes also accept GATE scores.

Is Engineering Mathematics a separate compulsory section in GATE PE?

Yes. GATE PE includes a dedicated Engineering Mathematics section worth ~13 marks (alongside the 15-mark General Aptitude section and the 72-mark PE subject section). Topics include linear algebra, calculus, differential equations, probability/statistics, numerical methods, and vector calculus.

When is GATE 2026 PE exam scheduled?

GATE 2026 examinations are typically held across multiple Saturdays/Sundays in February 2026. The exact PE paper date and session timing are published in the GATE 2026 schedule on gate2026.iitg.ac.in. Admit cards are released about three weeks before the exam date.

100+ Free GATE PE Practice Questions

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