石油勘探開發旨在為石油勘探生產的科學技術發展做出貢獻，提高學者和工作者的創新能力。雜志出版、中英文原始論文石油科學的所有方面,包括石油地質、地球物理、地球化學、石油和天然氣田的勘探和開發,油藏工程、儲層保護和刺激,石油儲運、石油和天然氣化學、石油機械、石油企業管理和石油工業的歷史,等等。

Petroleum Exploration and Development aims to provide contribution to the scientific and technological development of petroleum exploration and production and to promote the innovative ability of scholars and workers. The journal publishes, in both Chinese and English, original papers on all aspects of petroleum sciences, including petroleum geology, geophysics, geochemistry, exploration and development of oil and gas fields, reservoir engineering, reservoir protection and stimulation, oil storage and transportation, oil and gas chemistry, petroleum machinery, petroleum business administration and history of petroleum industry, etc.