On Location: Moritz Excavating

Drilling Down: A Day with Moritz Excavating (And Why I Need to Go Back)

After our awesome day out with the Nordic Waste crew, I decided it was time for another field trip. This time, I flew solo right here in North Dakota to hang out with Tony Moritz and the team at Moritz Excavating.

Tony’s crew specializes in the kind of work that usually happens completely out of sight—horizontal drilling and heavy-duty excavation for

utility companies and new commercial properties. Basically, if it needs to go underground safely and accurately, these are the guys you call.

I had a blast getting a firsthand look at the precision required to do this job. I also learned a very important personal lesson: always check the truck for your boots before you leave.

Here is a look at what goes into a day of horizontal drilling (and a sneak peek at the job site I’ll have to return to eventually to reclaim my footwear).

1. The Art of the Invisible Trench

Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) is wild. Instead of tearing up a massive trench across a property, these machines can bore a precise tunnel underground to lay utilities. Here is the rig in action, pushing pipe precisely where it needs to go without destroying the surface above.

2. The Command Center

You might think drilling is all about brute force, but it’s actually a highly technical operation. Here’s a look from under the shade umbrella where the operator is monitoring the drill head's path on the screen. It takes serious focus to navigate underground obstacles you can't even see.

3. Tracking the Beast

So, how do you know where the drill head is if it’s underground? You track it from the surface. This piece of tech (the locator) picks up a signal from the drill head, allowing the team to mark exactly where it is, how deep it is, and what angle it’s taking.

4. "Keep Pushing"

Tony and his crew plotting the next move. When you are dealing with commercial utility lines, communication is everything. I love the sticker on the hard hat here—"Keep Pushing." That pretty much sums up the attitude required for this kind of work.

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5. Mud, Sweat, and Vacuum Trucks

Horizontal drilling requires drilling fluid (basically a specialized mud) to keep the hole open and cool the drill bit. This means you need a way to manage that mud when it comes back to the surface. Enter the hydro-vac system. Here is the team keeping the workspace clean by vacuuming out the excess slurry.

The Verdict: Precision Meets Horsepower

A massive thank you to Tony and the entire Moritz Excavating team for letting me shadow them for the day. Seeing the blend of heavy horsepower and pinpoint technical accuracy required for horizontal drilling gave me a whole new appreciation for the infrastructure beneath our feet.

It was an incredible trip. In fact, it was so good, I decided to leave my boots in Tony's truck just so I have an excuse to go back and see them again soon. (Seriously Tony, keep them safe for me).