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Key Facts: PE Petroleum Exam
85
Exam Questions
NCEES
8.5 hrs
Exam Time
NCEES
9.5 hrs
Total Appointment
NCEES
$400
Exam Fee
NCEES
53%
1st-Time Pass Rate
NCEES Jan 2026
Once yearly
Availability
NCEES
The PE Petroleum exam is a once-yearly NCEES CBT with 85 questions, 8.5 hours of exam time, and a 9.5-hour total appointment. NCEES lists the next administration as October 27, 2026, charges a $400 exam fee, and reports January 2026 pass rates of 53% for first-time takers and 55% for repeat takers. As of March 12, 2026, NCEES has not posted a petroleum-specific 2026 blueprint revision; the current published specification remains the version effective October 1, 2023.
About the PE Petroleum Exam
The NCEES PE Petroleum exam is an 85-question computer-based licensure exam for engineers working in upstream oil and gas. It is administered once per year in a single-day October testing event and spans five major domains: drilling; production/completion/workovers; facilities; reservoir engineering; and project management/economics. The exam includes multiple-choice items and alternative item types, is closed book, and uses an electronic reference handbook and any specified standards provided on-screen during the appointment.
Questions
85 scored questions
Time Limit
8 hours 30 minutes
Passing Score
Pass/fail (scaled; NCEES does not publish the cutoff)
Exam Fee
$400 (NCEES (Pearson VUE))
PE Petroleum Exam Content Outline
Drilling, Casing, Cementing, and Drilling Fluids
Tubular design, cementing, mud properties, drilling hydraulics, BHA design, directional drilling, well control, BOPs, and managed-pressure concepts.
Production, Completion, and Workovers
Artificial lift, perforating, completion fluids, nodal analysis, production logging, stimulation, workover methods, abandonment, and EOR.
Facilities
Surface hydraulics, separators and treaters, pumps and compressors, custody transfer, process safety, corrosion/material selection, dehydration, and produced-water handling.
Reservoir Engineering
Volumetrics, material balance, decline curves, pressure-transient testing, geology impacts, unconventional reservoirs, waterflooding, simulation, and PVT/petrophysics.
Project Management and Economics
Scheduling, budgeting, QA/QC, risk assessment, regulatory/HSE obligations, ownership interests, cash flow, financial metrics, and probability analysis.
How to Pass the PE Petroleum Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: Pass/fail (scaled; NCEES does not publish the cutoff)
- Exam length: 85 questions
- Time limit: 8 hours 30 minutes
- Exam fee: $400
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
PE Petroleum Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the PE Petroleum exam format?
NCEES delivers PE Petroleum as a once-yearly computer-based exam with 85 questions. The total appointment is 9.5 hours and includes a short tutorial, 8.5 hours of exam time, and a scheduled 50-minute break. The exam includes multiple-choice questions and alternative item types, and results are reported pass/fail.
What is the PE Petroleum pass rate?
NCEES lists January 2026 pass rates of 53% for first-time takers and 55% for repeat takers. Because Petroleum is a small-volume once-yearly exam, those percentages come from 62 first-time and 22 repeat examinees, so year-to-year movement can be noticeable.
When is PE Petroleum offered?
NCEES offers PE Petroleum once per year as a single-day October administration rather than year-round testing. As of March 12, 2026, the official NCEES page lists the next test date as October 27, 2026, and candidates are encouraged to reserve seats early after board approval.
Were there any 2026 changes to the PE Petroleum exam?
As of March 12, 2026, NCEES has not published a petroleum-specific 2026 specification update. The active blueprint is still the PE Petroleum CBT specification effective October 1, 2023, and the NCEES fall 2026 member-board memo discusses updates for other PE exams rather than Petroleum. NCEES also indicated there were no approved calculator changes for 2026.
What reference materials are provided during the exam?
NCEES provides an electronic reference handbook during the exam, plus any standards specifically listed in the official specifications. You cannot bring personal references into the exam room, so efficient PDF search and handbook familiarity matter on test day.
How should I prepare for PE Petroleum?
Most candidates build around the official NCEES domain ranges rather than studying every petroleum topic equally. Prioritize drilling, production/completion, and reservoir engineering because they dominate the blueprint, then close gaps in facilities and petroleum economics with mixed timed practice using only the electronic reference materials.