GATE Petroleum Engineering (PE) is a specialized branch in the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering, designed for aspirants pursuing careers in oil and gas exploration, production, reservoir engineering, and petroleum refining. GATE PE was introduced in 2016, making it one of the newer branches in the GATE examination. This branch tests your understanding of reservoir engineering, drilling engineering, production engineering, petroleum geology, and enhanced oil recovery. Practicing GATE PE previous question papers is crucial for understanding the exam format and improving your performance.
Petroleum Engineering combines principles from geology, chemistry, physics, and engineering to explore, extract, and process oil and gas resources. GATE PE aspirants typically include graduates from Petroleum Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and related backgrounds who wish to pursue higher studies or careers in oil and gas companies, exploration companies, research organizations, government agencies like ONGC, Oil India Limited, and consulting firms. The field encompasses areas such as reservoir engineering, drilling engineering, production engineering, well completion, and enhanced oil recovery techniques.
Key Subjects in GATE Petroleum Engineering
Core Petroleum Subjects
- Reservoir Engineering
- Drilling Engineering
- Production Engineering
- Petroleum Geology
- Enhanced Oil Recovery
Foundation Subjects
- Mathematics
- Fluid Mechanics
- Thermodynamics
- Well Testing
- Formation Evaluation
GATE Petroleum Engineering Previous Question Papers (2016-2025)
Download GATE PE previous year question papers with answer keys from 2016 to 2025. These GATE Petroleum Engineering previous question papers help you understand the exam pattern, question types, difficulty level, and time management strategies. Solve these previous papers regularly to identify important topics and improve your problem-solving speed. These solved previous year papers are essential for effective GATE PE preparation. Regular practice with these previous question papers will help you score better in the actual exam.
| Year | Download |
|---|---|
| GATE 2025 | Question Paper|Answer Key |
| GATE 2024 | Question Paper|Answer Key |
| GATE 2023 | Question Paper|Answer Key |
| GATE 2022 | Question Paper|Answer Key |
| GATE 2021 | Question Paper|Answer Key |
| GATE 2020 | Question Paper|Answer Key |
| GATE 2019 | Question Paper|Answer Key |
| GATE 2018 | Question Paper|Answer Key |
| GATE 2017 | Question Paper|Answer Key |
| GATE 2016 | Question Paper|Answer Key |
GATE PE Paper Pattern & Trends
Exam Pattern: GATE PE consists of 65 questions (55 technical + 10 General Aptitude) worth 100 marks. The paper duration is 3 hours. Topics like Reservoir Engineering, Drilling Engineering, Production Engineering, Petroleum Geology, and Enhanced Oil Recovery are frequently tested. Studying the previous question papers helps you understand how these topics are distributed in the actual exam. Analyzing these previous question papers reveals the weightage of each topic.
Recent Trends (2020-2025)
Recent GATE PE previous question papers have shown consistent emphasis on Reservoir Engineering with questions on fluid flow in porous media, material balance, and reservoir simulation, typically accounting for 15-18 marks. Drilling Engineering topics focus on drilling fluids, well control, and drilling operations, maintaining 12-15 marks. Production Engineering covers well completion, artificial lift systems, and production optimization, typically 10-12 marks. Petroleum Geology and Enhanced Oil Recovery together account for 8-10 marks. Well Testing and Formation Evaluation typically account for 5-8 marks. Reviewing these recent previous question papers helps understand the current exam trends. These previous question papers are essential for identifying important topics.
Historical Analysis (2016-2019)
GATE PE previous question papers from 2016-2019 show the initial pattern that continues today, with balanced coverage of reservoir engineering, drilling engineering, production engineering, and petroleum geology. Since PE was introduced in 2016, all papers have been conducted online. Analyzing these previous year papers helps identify recurring topics and question patterns. These previous question papers provide valuable insights into the evolution of the exam since its introduction.
GATE PE Cutoff Marks
- GATE 2025: General - 31.1, OBC/EWS - 27.9, SC/ST/PwD - 20.7
- GATE 2024: General - 42.6, OBC/EWS - 38.3, SC/ST/PwD - 28.4
- GATE 2023: General - 34.4, OBC/EWS - 30.9, SC/ST/PwD - 22.9
Related Resources
GATE PE Cutoff Marks
GATE Petroleum Engineering cutoff marks for all years
GATE Exam Pattern
GATE exam structure, marking scheme, and question types
Note: All GATE PE previous question papers are provided for educational purposes. Regular practice with these previous year papers, combined with a strong understanding of core concepts, is essential for success in GATE Petroleum Engineering. Make sure to download and save these previous papers for offline practice. Solving these previous question papers under timed conditions will help you prepare effectively for the actual GATE PE exam.