Meter Reading: How Mexican Cartels Threaten Border Shale Gas, Flare-Offs in Houston, and More

Photo by YURI CORTEZ/AFP/Getty Images

Mexican marines escort five alleged drug traffickers of the Zeta drug cartel in front of weapons on June 9, 2011 in Mexico City.

Zetas gang threatens Mexico’s shale gas near border – “U.S. and Mexican energy companies long have been besieged by the gangsters here – their workers assaulted, extorted or murdered – despite a heavy military and federal police presence. Now, with feuding Zetas factions bloodying one another and fending off outside rivals, what has been a bad situation threatens to get much worse.” — Houston Chronicle

Weekend Flare Burn-Off Not Unusual For Nearby Residents – “It started yesterday and you can still see what’s left of a huge flare burn-off at a chemical plant near the Houston Ship Channel. Columns of black smoke could be seen for miles around.” — KUHF Houston

Electric Cars Try to Break Out of Niche – ”The question is whether the latest group of electric vehicles will offer enough features and reliability and an attractive enough price to move electric cars beyond niche status.” — Wall Street Journal