Peer review is an essential step in the publication of academic journals, where manuscripts are evaluated by peer experts. This process ensures the journal's academic integrity. Petroleum Geology & Experiment follows a three-round review procedure: preliminary review by the Managing Editor, peer review by experts, and final review by the Editor-in-Chief (or Editorial Board Members). Before manuscripts are sent for review, identifiable details such as author names, affiliations, and funding sources are removed. Therefore, all review stages are double-blind. The details of the review process are as follows:

1. Preliminary Review by the Managing Editor

The Managing Editor assesses the overall quality of the manuscript, focusing on its research topic and academic level. Manuscripts that meet the journal's criteria are sent for peer review. Those that do not meet the criteria are rejected.

2. Peer Review by Experts

At this stage, manuscripts are evaluated based on their innovation, academic level and rigor. Each manuscript is reviewed by two independent experts, who provide review comments to the author for reference.

3. Final Review by the Editor-in-Chief (or Editorial Board Members)

Based on the comments from the peer reviewers, the Editor-in-Chief makes a decision to accept the manuscript, request revisions, or reject it. Controversial manuscripts will be reviewed and discussed by the Editorial Board, and then a final decision is made based on the result of discussion and review. The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for the entire content of the journal.

Manuscripts from Editorial Board Members or Editors

For submissions from Editorial Board Members and editors (including Guest Editors) of the journal, they are subject to the same review process as regular submissions. The review of these manuscripts is conducted independently of the relevant Editorial Board Members, editors, and their research groups. Moreover, Editorial Board Members and editors will not participate in the review of a manuscript if they have competing, collaborative, or other conflicts of interest with the author(s).

Review for Special Issue Submissions

The manuscript review process described above also applies to submissions for special issues. Manuscripts submitted for special issues undergo the same review and editing process as manuscripts submitted for regular issues, and are also subject to the final decision by the Editor-in-Chief, who is responsible for the entire journal content, including special issues.

For some special issues, the editorial office would invite experts in the relevant fields to serve as Guest Editors. Their responsibilities include assisting in the solicitation of manuscripts, organizing peer reviews, and resolving any issues during publication. The work of the Guest Editors is subject to the supervision of our Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board to ensure fairness in manuscript reviews.

Authors' Appeal

If authors disagree with the review comments or results, they may submit a written appeal to the editorial office via email. Authors should provide detailed explanations and statements for each review comment. Upon receipt of the appeal, the editorial office will conduct a prompt re-evaluation and notify the authors of the results.