Fatal 'pipeline pig' ejection leads to $1.4M fine for Texas gas pipeline operator

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Published  January 21, 2026 2:27pm CST
FOX Local

The Brief

    • Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Co. will pay $1.425 million to settle federal allegations following the 2020 death of a technician at a Kansas facility.
    • Federal investigators found safety violations led to the incident, where a pressurized cleaning tool, known as a "pig," was ejected at high speed and struck the employee.
    • The company has not admitted liability in the settlement, which addresses claims that it failed to follow mandatory maintenance and safety procedures.

A gas pipeline operator has agreed to pay $1.425 million to resolve federal allegations that safety violations led to the 2020 death of an employee who was struck by a dislodged cleaning tool, federal officials announced Tuesday.

Settlement reached

Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Co., LP (PEPL), a subsidiary of Texas-based Energy Transfer, LP, reached the settlement with the Department of Justice to address claims involving the fatal incident at the company’s Borchers Station near Meade, Kansas.

The settlement follows a civil complaint filed by the United States in April 2025 under the Pipeline Safety Act. The complaint alleged that PEPL failed to follow its manual of written procedures for operations and maintenance, leading to the death on March 26, 2020.

The backstory:

According to investigators, a PEPL technician, Everett Leon Rogers, 59, was trying to retrieve a 10-inch PitBoss™ Cleaning Pig that had become stuck due to ice accumulation. The pig was lodged inside a receiving barrel that remained partially pressurized. 

At approximately 2 p.m., Rogers tried to break the ice using a stainless-steel rod. The action caused the pig to suddenly dislodge and eject from the receiver at high speed, striking Rogers in the abdomen. He later died at a hospital from those injuries.

What is a cleaning pig?

A "pig" is a cylindrical device sent though pipelines to scrub away deposits such as scale or rust.

What they're saying:

"This settlement reflects our commitment to impose accountability in regulatory matters," said Ryan Raybould, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas. "The outcome here illustrates the importance and necessity of compliance and appropriate enforcement actions to prevent and address tragic circumstances."

PHMSA Administrator Paul Roberti added that the company's alleged failure to follow established safety rules directly led to the death. "We will not let operators escape accountability in cases like this one," Roberti said.

The civil settlement, executed on Dec. 31, 2025, notes that the claims are allegations only, and there has been no formal determination or admission of liability by PEPL.

The Source: Information in this article is from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Texas and documents from the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

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