HOUSTON (Reuters) - The Poseidon oil pipeline in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico will end emergency handling of Auger system crude after March 1, a Poseidon website announced Tuesday.

Officials of Poseidon Oil Pipeline Co and Shell (RDSa.L), which operates Auger, could not be reached for confirmation or details.

Shell in September had announced plans to reroute oil and natural gas flows around its hurricane-damaged Eugene Island platform, which lies downstream of Auger.

Eugene Island was hit by Hurricane Ike last September.

Poseidon Oil said in the website announcement it would return the pipeline segment involved to normal service on or before March 10.

The segment is 20 inches in diameter and runs between South Marsh Island 205 and Ship Shoal 332, the website said.

Poseidon Oil is owned by Enterprise Products Partners LP (EPD.N) (36 percent), Shell Pipeline Co (36 percent) and Marathon Oil (MRO.N) (28 percent).

Poseidon pipeline is a major crude oil system serving the central U.S. Gulf, the Poseidon website said. (Reporting by Bruce Nichols; additional reporting by Joshua Schneyer; Editing by Marguerita Choy)

U.S.