NGWA General Drilling Exam Review
Guide 2026 | Augering & Monitoring Well
Study Questions | Complete Certification
Prep Manual
NGWA
1
Q: What does NGWA stand for?
A: National Groundwater Association
2
Q: Define a water well.
A: A drilled, cored, bored, washed, dug, driven, or jetted excavation constructed for
extracting groundwater.
3
Q: What components make up a cable tool drill string?
A: Socket, jars, stem, and drill bit.
,4
Q: What is a drill string?
A: The entire column of drill pipe, drill collars, and accessories transmitting fluid and/or
rotational power from the Kelly or top head drive to the bit.
5
Q: What makes up a rotary drill string?
A: Drill bit, drill collar (stabilizer), drill pipe, and Kelly (top head drive).
6
Q: What is porosity?
A: The percentage of void spaces or holes in a geologic formation (connected pore spaces).
7
Q: What is barite used for?
A: Increasing the weight of drilling fluid (mud); barium sulfate (BaSO₄).
8
,Q: What is air rotary drilling?
A: A rotary drilling method using compressed air to lift cuttings from the borehole.
9
Q: What are surfactants used for in drilling?
A: To improve cuttings removal and create foam in air-based drilling.
10
Q: What is the unit constant 2.31 used for?
A: Converting psi to feet of head (e.g., 2.31 × psi = feet of lift).
11
Q: What is well development?
A: A process to remove fine solids from the water-bearing zone to improve well production.
12
Q: List well development methods.
A: Chemical, over pumping, rawhiding, mechanical surging, jetting, air surging.
13
, Q: What is over pumping?
A: Pumping a well at a higher rate than normal to improve development.
14
Q: What is rawhiding in well development?
A: Pumping water to surface then allowing it to flow back to break sediment bridges.
15
Q: What is mechanical surging?
A: Using a surging block to force water in and out of the aquifer to remove fines.
16
Q: What is jetting?
A: Using high-pressure water jets to clean the well screen and formation.
17
Q: What is air surging?
A: Injecting air into a borehole to lift sediment and improve development.
18
Guide 2026 | Augering & Monitoring Well
Study Questions | Complete Certification
Prep Manual
NGWA
1
Q: What does NGWA stand for?
A: National Groundwater Association
2
Q: Define a water well.
A: A drilled, cored, bored, washed, dug, driven, or jetted excavation constructed for
extracting groundwater.
3
Q: What components make up a cable tool drill string?
A: Socket, jars, stem, and drill bit.
,4
Q: What is a drill string?
A: The entire column of drill pipe, drill collars, and accessories transmitting fluid and/or
rotational power from the Kelly or top head drive to the bit.
5
Q: What makes up a rotary drill string?
A: Drill bit, drill collar (stabilizer), drill pipe, and Kelly (top head drive).
6
Q: What is porosity?
A: The percentage of void spaces or holes in a geologic formation (connected pore spaces).
7
Q: What is barite used for?
A: Increasing the weight of drilling fluid (mud); barium sulfate (BaSO₄).
8
,Q: What is air rotary drilling?
A: A rotary drilling method using compressed air to lift cuttings from the borehole.
9
Q: What are surfactants used for in drilling?
A: To improve cuttings removal and create foam in air-based drilling.
10
Q: What is the unit constant 2.31 used for?
A: Converting psi to feet of head (e.g., 2.31 × psi = feet of lift).
11
Q: What is well development?
A: A process to remove fine solids from the water-bearing zone to improve well production.
12
Q: List well development methods.
A: Chemical, over pumping, rawhiding, mechanical surging, jetting, air surging.
13
, Q: What is over pumping?
A: Pumping a well at a higher rate than normal to improve development.
14
Q: What is rawhiding in well development?
A: Pumping water to surface then allowing it to flow back to break sediment bridges.
15
Q: What is mechanical surging?
A: Using a surging block to force water in and out of the aquifer to remove fines.
16
Q: What is jetting?
A: Using high-pressure water jets to clean the well screen and formation.
17
Q: What is air surging?
A: Injecting air into a borehole to lift sediment and improve development.
18
