Oman: rules and approvals
In February 2026 the TRA launched a Self-Declaration of Conformity service for importers, so the approval route for some products is changing.
The IS-04Z1 is an intrinsically safe smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21, aimed at the field operators, technicians, inspection engineers and HSE teams who work inside Oman’s classified areas. If you are specifying an ATEX and IECEx cell phone for Oman, this page covers the markings, the approvals and the current certification status of the IS-04Z1.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Oman: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
Where things stand: the IS-04Z1 has not launched, and none of its four certification routes has produced a certificate yet. An operator's own vendor approval is a separate step. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Marking | II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4 on the rating plate | Design target; not yet marked |
| EU-type examination certificate | Notified body number and certificate ID | In progress with TÜV; not issued |
| IECEx certificate of conformity | Number listed on the IECEx online register | In progress; not issued |
| Where it applies | Oman: Fahud, Yibal, Marmul | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Oman. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
The main operators, industrial areas and sites that the SAMS Oman market guide covers.
In February 2026 the TRA launched a Self-Declaration of Conformity service for importers, so the approval route for some products is changing.
The Port of Salalah, managed by APM Terminals, is a major transshipment hub, and the adjacent Salalah Free Zone is developing heavy industry.
The first economic oil find came in 1962 at Yibal, and the first oil consignment was exported in 1967.
Oman completed shutdown of its 3G networks in July 2025 and upgraded to 4G and 5G, which matters for choosing phone models and connectivity.
ATEX is the European legal framework for equipment used in explosive atmospheres (Directive 2014/34/EU). IECEx is the international certification scheme built on the IEC 60079 standards. Buyers outside Europe often ask for both: an IECEx certificate is the technical evidence most national regimes build on, while ATEX is the legal route into the European market.
For the IS-04Z1 both routes are in progress with TÜV in Germany and neither certificate has been issued. The marking target is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4: equipment Group II (surface industry), Category 2 (Zone 1 gas), protection concept ib (intrinsic safety), gas group IIC and temperature class T4.
In Oman. An Omani HSE or procurement reviewer at Petroleum Development Oman, OQ or OQ8 would expect certificate evidence with the temperature class clearly stated. ATEX and IECEx routes, both in progress, help international operators such as Occidental Oman and EPC contractors who bring their own standards. Nothing is yet issued, and the evidence should be requested in writing.
A short checklist for anyone writing or reviewing the specification, with the IS-04Z1 status against each point.
No. Nothing can be bought or taken into a classified area today: certification is in progress and launch is planned for Q4 2026. What is available now is the datasheet, the written certification schedule and evaluation units for safe-area use.
SAMS has not published a price. Any figure you are offered for an uncertified Ex phone should be treated with caution; written indicative pricing is available for a defined quantity and site.
Not yet. Both routes are in progress with TÜV in Germany and no certificate has been issued. Any listing that says otherwise is wrong.
The market guide for Oman covers Fahud, Yibal, Marmul, Qarn Alam, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
Not exactly. Explosion proof is a broad everyday term; intrinsic safety is one protection concept, which limits energy so ignition cannot occur. Flameproof (Ex d) is a different concept that contains an explosion. The IS-04Z1 is intrinsically safe by design.
Muscat's Mina Al Fahal and Rusayl, Salalah's free zone, and the Duqm special economic zone, along with fields in the interior. Each is managed by a different authority.
Petroleum Development Oman handles most crude and gas, with the government holding 60 percent and Shell and others sharing the rest. Other operators run separate blocks. PDO has its own contractor approval system.
It is designed to pair with a personal gas detector over Bluetooth so the two work together. Sour gas developments such as Harweel already require detection as routine, so confirm the pairing and alarm procedure with the operator's HSE team before adding the handset.
Other guides for Oman, other places in Oman, and the pages behind them.
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.