NEW YORK, March 30 (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil has shut a crude oil pipeline after it ruptured near Mayflower, Arkansas, spilling "thousands" of barrels of oil, the company said.

The 20-inch Pegasus pipeline ruptured on late Friday afternoon and a few thousand barrels of oil had been observed, Exxon said in a statement. Exxon was preparing a response for a spill of more than 10,000 barrels.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had categorized the spill as a "major spill", Exxon said. Clean-up crews had recovered approximately 4,500 barrels of oil and water.

The pipeline carries crude oil from Patoka, Illinois to the Gulf Coast.