Exxon Mobil will delay the start-up of its 1 million tons-per-year (tpy) ethylene cracker on Jurong Island in Singapore into next year instead of the end of 2011 due to longer-than-expected safety checks needed for its petrochemical projects, a company official said on Monday.

"The cracker will be the last of the projects to be started up. This will take place sometime in 2012," said Georges Grosliere, Singapore-based venture director, declining to name the specified quarter next year.

The cracker was part of a host of projects which include two new polyethylene units which have a combined capacity of 1.2 million tpy and a 300,000 tpy specialty elastomers unit.

"The (petrochemical) site is very integrated. There are new units in the midst of existing facilities," said Grosliere. "When you start up new units in existing facilities, we need to be extremely careful and safety is our top priority."