RIYADH, (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia’s Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical Co (PetroRabigh) may delay the start of some units to the first quarter of 2009 and its start-up costs have risen by 3 percent, it said on Sunday.

PetroRabigh is a $10 billion joint venture between state oil giant Saudi Aramco and Japan’s Sumitomo Chemicals. The two paired up in 2005 to upgrade a 400,000 barrel per day (bpd) oil refinery and add a petrochemical complex.

“The board … reviewed technical matters which may lead to rescheduling the start of some units at the complex to the first quarter of 2009, with an expected increase in costs worth $300 million,” the firm said in a statement posted on the bourse’s website.