Abstract: At approximately 12:30 p.m. on November 27, 2006, Employee #1, a roustabout, was part of a three man crew that was instructed to cut, thread, and cap a 4-in. steel pipeline that was considered to be abandoned since the well was no longer producing. The employees checked the pipeline for pressure by opening the blow down valves located on the 2-in. vertical riser section of pipe that was exposed above ground. One of the employees opened the valves and did not observe a pressure release from the valves, allowing the crew to proceed with excavating operations approximately four feet from the vertical riser to unearth the 4-in. pipe. Once the pipeline was excavated, Employee #1 began cold-cutting the pipe with a large manual rotary pipe cutting tool. Employee #1 eventually breached the 4-in. pipeline which was pressurized with natural gas and condensate, creating a high pressure release that struck Employee #1. Employee #1 received a blunt force trauma injury to the head causing a fatal injury.