Climate
Hot desert climate with high summer temperatures and dust.
Al-Ahsa is the largest governorate in Saudi Arabia by area, with Hofuf as its seat and a 2022 population of about 1.1 million. The Al-Ahsa oasis and Hofuf lie on the east flank of Ghawar, in the area of the 'Uthmaniyah production zone, so farmland and settlements sit close to oil and gas facilities. Distribution partners for Al-Ahsa (Hofuf) are being identified ahead of the Q4 2026 launch of the IS-04Z1.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Short answer. Al-Ahsa (Hofuf) has no appointed SAMS distributor yet: the IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued, launch planned for Q4 2026), and distributor applications are open.
For the record, no certificate exists for the IS-04Z1 today. The programme is under way ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. A buyer's engineering review is separate from the certificate. 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 | Al-Ahsa (Hofuf): Water injection facilities, Pipeline pump stations, Oil wellsites and gathering | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Al Ahsa. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
Who operates there and which kinds of classified area a handset would meet, from the SAMS site research.
Hot desert climate with high summer temperatures and dust.
Hofuf is served by an airport, rail station and highways to Riyadh and Dammam.
Ghawar was discovered in 1948 and put on stream in 1951; it is entirely owned and operated by Saudi Aramco, so one operator's rules cover the oil-field work.
Aramco's 2019 bond prospectus put Ghawar's maximum output at 3.8 million barrels a day, well below the older market estimate of more than 5 million.
The governorate has fertile land and abundant water, and has historically been a trade crossroads linking Arabia with Persia and India.
Ghawar's reservoir is a limestone about 85 m thick, lying roughly 1,800 to 2,100 m below ground, so wells and surface facilities handle high-pressure oil and associated gas.
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 Al-Ahsa (Hofuf). Al Ahsa is home to the Ghawar field, where Aramco reviewers would want certificate evidence matched to wellsites and gas handling. A dual ATEX and IECEx route helps international contractors who move between fields and projects. The IS-04Z1 has no certificate yet; certification is in progress, and nothing should be assumed accepted.
SAMS is appointing authorised distributors ahead of the Q4 2026 launch. No territory has been granted for Al-Ahsa (Hofuf) yet and applications are reviewed company by company. Because a certified Ex device cannot be opened by an ordinary phone workshop without invalidating its certificate, SAMS looks for partners who can provide competent technical support and after-sales service locally.
Not today. Until the certificates are issued the IS-04Z1 stays out of classified areas, and until launch there is nothing to purchase. You can ask for the datasheet and the certification schedule, or book a safe-area evaluation unit.
There is no list price yet. SAMS gives indicative pre-launch pricing in writing, against a stated quantity and site, and does not commit to a lead time before certification completes.
Not yet. Both routes are in progress with TÜV in Germany and no certificate has been issued. Any listing that says otherwise is wrong.
Likely candidates are oil wellsites and gathering, associated gas handling, water injection facilities, pipeline pump stations. Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
Apply through the distributor page with your company details and the territory you cover. SAMS reviews applications company by company and has not yet granted a territory for Al-Ahsa (Hofuf).
Often yes. The Al-Ahsa oasis and Hofuf sit on the eastern flank of the Ghawar field, so wellsites, gas handling and pipelines can be near settlements and agricultural land. Follow the operator's access and gate procedures rather than assuming open public roads lead to sites.
Ghawar is divided into five production areas running north to south, and the governorate covers about 375,000 square km. Teams often travel long distances between sites, so plan device charging, spare batteries and offline documentation rather than relying on constant connectivity.
Ghawar is divided into several zones and sites are widely spread, so coverage and travel time vary. Ask the site operator about network coverage and whether devices need to work offline. Device management through EMM or MDM should be planned around that, and handsets are best charged at a safe base.
Other guides for Al Ahsa, other places in Saudi Arabia, and the pages behind them.
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.