SPE Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield SPE facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What does a separator do in production operations? → Separates oil, gas, and water phases
2. What is the main goal of production operations in oil & gas fields? → Safely and efficiently extract hydrocarbons
3. A pressure buildup test is shut in after a production time 'tp'. The Horner approximation works best when which condition is met? → Production time (tp) greatly exceeds shut-in time (Δt)
4. Why is environmental monitoring important? → Detect and mitigate environmental impacts
5. In surface production facilities, what is the primary purpose of a three-phase separator? → To separate the well stream into its primary components: oil, water, and gas.
6. The discount rate used in a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) analysis for an oil and gas project is primarily intended to reflect which of the following? → The time value of money and the project's risk.
7. What is a common material used for well casing? → Steel
8. How does reservoir simulation benefit reservoir management? → It forecasts reservoir performance and guides management
9. In the economic evaluation of a petroleum project, which of the following costs is classified as a Capital Expenditure (CAPEX)? → The cost of drilling and completing a new development well.
10. During a hydraulic fracturing operation, what is the primary purpose of the proppant? → To keep the induced fractures open after the pumping pressure is released
11. What is the primary purpose of performing a drawdown test rather than a buildup test in well testing? → To evaluate productivity without sacrificing production time by shutting in
12. What is a common hazard during well completion? → Blowouts
13. Which of the following is a critical best practice for achieving effective zonal isolation during a primary cementing operation? → Ensuring proper casing centralization to achieve a uniform cement sheath.
14. What is the primary function of barite (barium sulfate) in drilling fluids? → To increase the density of the fluid to control formation pressures
15. What is artificial lift in production operations? → Methods to increase fluid flow when natural pressure is low
16. What is the main purpose of a safety management system (SMS)? → Manage safety risks systematically
17. Which operation completes the well after drilling is finished? → Installing equipment for controlled production
18. Which regulation governs waste disposal from oilfield operations? → Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
19. Which reservoir boundary condition produces a doubling of the semi-log straight line slope in a buildup or drawdown pressure transient test? → A sealing fault (no-flow boundary) at some distance from the well
20. On a pressure derivative plot (Bourdet derivative), radial flow is identified by what signature? → A flat (horizontal) straight line
21. What is the main purpose of well casing in drilling? → To support borehole walls and isolate fluids
22. In a drill stem test (DST), the 'Initial Shut-In Pressure' (ISIP) measured at the start of the test is most useful for estimating which parameter? → Static reservoir pressure or pore pressure
23. In well testing, 'wellbore storage' (afterflow) distorts early-time pressure data. What causes wellbore storage in a producing oil well? → Fluid expansion or compression within the wellbore volume after shut-in or opening
24. Which of the following data integration approaches is most critical for reducing uncertainty in a reservoir model away from well control? → Integrating 3D seismic attribute data with well log petrophysical properties
25. The concept of 'radius of investigation' (ri) in pressure transient testing describes which physical phenomenon? → The maximum distance from the well that a pressure disturbance has reached at a given time
26. In pressure transient analysis, what does a positive skin factor (S > 0) indicate about the wellbore condition? → Near-wellbore damage reducing effective permeability
27. Which of the following is NOT a primary design consideration for a hydraulic fracturing treatment? → Wellhead pressure rating during production
28. Which property primarily controls fluid flow within a reservoir? → Permeability of the reservoir rock
29. What is meant by the term 'reservoir drive mechanism'? → Natural or artificial forces pushing hydrocarbons to wells
30. Which system monitors and controls production facilities? → SCADA systems