Through the basalt with ‘Mjölnir’ – Viking machine drilling in Mexico

The new railway line between Felipe Ángeles Airport in Mexico City and Pachuca de Soto, some 65 kilometres away, is a key element of Mexico’s ambitious infrastructure expansion programme. As part of this national programme, several thousand kilometres of new railway lines are being built across the country to connect major cities more efficiently and promote economic growth. The AIFA-Pachuca project plays a key role in this. It provides an optimum link between the international airport and the rail network and marks an important step in the comprehensive modernisation of passenger transport in Mexico. Both commuters and travellers alike benefit from the improved connection – the distances are shorter, the journey times involved in air travel are significantly reduced.

As powerful as Thor’s hammer

Grupo Olsa is constructing 827 foundation piles for the new rail connection. Alongside the Liebherr drilling rigs LB 24 and LB 28, a particularly striking model is being used: a new LB 25 featuring an impressive Viking motif on the uppercarriage. The name ‘Mjölnir’ – Thor’s legendary hammer from Norse mythology – is emblazoned on the rotary drive. A symbol of unbridled power, destruction and the force of a lightning bolt – and also of the most powerful drilling rig in this size class in the Mexican deep foundation company’s fleet. Although Mexico is shaped by cultures such as the Aztecs and the Mayas, Olga Sánchez, the director of Grupo Olsa, wanted to make a statement: Vikings represent values that embody the drilling rig and the company. Whilst travelling around Europe she discovered the Viking culture and was impressed by the powerful and fearless people from Northern Europe.

Using the Kelly drilling method, the Viking machine is installing piles down to depths of 33 metres with diameters between 1.2 and 1.5 metres. With a maximum torque of 252 kilonewton metres, the Liebherr drilling rig LB 25 performs impressively even under demanding conditions: an extremely hard layer of basalt at depths between 8 and 20 metres puts both the machine and the drilling tool to the test. However, the combination of high-performance technology and an experienced team ensures that installation progresses smoothly. Group Olsa started with the deep foundation work for the railway project in October 2025 and will complete the work with ‘Mjölnir’ in December 2026 as planned.