Oil spill surpasses Exxon as worst in US history

THE Gulf oil spill has surpassed the Exxon Valdez soill as the worst in US history, according to new estimates released yesterday, but the Coast Guard and BP said an untested procedure to stop it seemed to be working.

BP Plc wrestled yesterday to plug the gushing well as President Barack Obama announced he was extending a moratorium on new deepwater oil drilling for six months.

Scientists trying to figure out how much oil has been flowing since the offshore rig Deepwater Horizon exploded on April 20 and sank two days later found the rate was at least twice and possibly up to five times as high as previously thought.