HOUSTON (Reuters) - A federal judge on Thursday approved BP Plc's agreement with the U.S. government to plead guilty to criminal charges stemming from a deadly 2005 explosion at its giant Texas refinery that killed 15 workers and injured 180 others.
The plea deal approved by U.S. District Court Judge Lee Rosenthal requires BP <:BP.LO:>s North American subsidiary to pay a $50 million fine by March 16 and serve three years on probation.
(Reporting by Erwin Seba)
