Test Taking Strategy - 2017

Note: I will not talk about specific problems from the exam.
Note: this is a re-post from 2016 with updates for 2017.

First: review the Petroleum Engineering Guidebook in detail and SPE Textbook Series #1, #2, #12, and #4 as time allows. Tab (by letter) a good Petroleum Dictionary. Have the Halliburton Red Book (or equivalent) and Well Control or something similar (for the pictures). Consider investing in the 7 volume Petroleum Engineering Handbook; you really should own it anyway and it helps a lot of folk on the exam. Regardless, know whatever resources you choose very well; never waste time searching through books on a hope during a timed exam.

Second: Take the Petroleum PE Problems 2016: 1-40 or the 2005 SPE Sample Exam 1-40. It's critical to take it under actual test conditions. Lock yourself in a room for four hours with your books, calculator, mechanical pencil, and whatever you will eat and drink. If you lack four uninterrupted hours, do 10 problems in 1 hour for the same effect.

Third: Take, practice, and completely understand every problem on the 2005 SPE Sample Exam 1-80. This is your calculation problem study time. Do every problem as many times as needed until each one takes less than 6 minutes each (on average).

Fourth: Review whatever reservoir textbook you are familiar with. If you have time, you might want to do and completely understand every problem on the 2014 SPE Practice Exam (this isn't like the actual exam, it's mostly easy and fast, but worth a look if you have extra time). Study any weak areas.

Fifth: Take the 2016 Petroleum PE Problems 2016: 41-80. If you don't have it, use the 2005 Practice Exam 41-80. This is your final check. If you can get 70% under exam conditions, you will probably pass the real thing. If you can get 60%, it's worth a shot. Use this test to hone your resources and test-taking skills under time constraints.

Sixth: Sometime in the month before the exam, take the Petroleum PE Problems 2017: 1-80. Take it as if it's real, including resources, food, and restroom breaks. Regroup and study as needed. If you have the opportunity to take review courses (Bing is highly recommended) do so. The lectures are invaluable, especially for engineers without a petroleum degree.


Regarding studying: I didn't find practicing calculation problems to help much past a certain point. If you can do every problem on the 2005 exam within time constraints (average 6 minutes per problem), you should be good to go on calculations.

Regarding the futility of studying calculation problems to prepare for the PE Exam? Read David Vaucher who after taking the 2014 exam said, "I think I did well. I’m confident because I spent ample time preparing..." and "...I am certain that I got all the calculation questions right...". But to his chagrin he then learned he did not pass. Think about that. He believes he didn't miss a single calculation problem...yet did not pass! This demonstrates the danger of relying on calculation problems.

So how should one prepare? Focus on high-quality (but limited) resources, achieve real understanding, and hone your test-taking skills. This was how I generated my study notes (now Guidebook) during the years I waited to take the exam. My notes summarized the main points from SPE textbooks. And little else. If there was something on the exam not in my notes (rare!) I merely skipped it, confident that the question was esoteric and thus a time sink to be avoided. A willingness to "let it go" is far more important than the natural (and normally healthy) urge to chase down the correct answer on every problem and thus run out of time.

You have probably heard the joke that to avoid being eaten by a charging bear you don't have to outrun the bear, just the other guy? Well you don't need to get every answer right on this exam. You just need more answers correct than about half the other guys.