The Energy Department has given final approval...

The Energy Department has given final approval to an agreement with Texaco Corp. calling for $1.25 billion in payments to the government over 5 1/2 years to settle accusations of overcharging for price-controlled crude oil. The settlement, details of which were announced in February, is the second largest in the government’s long campaign to recover overcharges in the years from 1973 to 1981, when crude oil was subject to price controls. Only $2.1 billion paid by Exxon Corp. was larger.