Platforms
BP operates Thunder Horse, a semi-submersible in about 1,840 m of water with first oil in 2008. Shell operates Perdido, a spar in about 2,450 m of water, with Chevron and BP as partners.
Gulf of Mexico Rigs · ATEX and IECEx
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone in Gulf of Mexico Rigs
The US Gulf of Mexico, which US agencies now call the Gulf of America, is a mature offshore region with deepwater platforms working off Louisiana and Texas. Hazardous-area work covers well bays, process decks and drill floors, regulated offshore by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. This page explains what to look for in an ATEX and IECEx mobile phone for US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs, and where the IS-04Z1 stands against that list today.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Marking targetEx ib IIC T4Intrinsic safety, Zone 1 / 21 design target · certification in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
Search topicATEX and IECEx
DeviceMobile Phone
RouteSpecification
WhereGulf of Mexico Rigs
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
Current position: certification in progress, nothing issued, launch targeted for Q4 2026. An operator's own vendor approval is a separate step. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · ATEX and IECEx
Checklist: ATEX and IECEx mobile phone for US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs
| 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 | US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs: Drill floors and well bays, Production process decks, Wellhead areas | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Gulf of Mexico Rigs
The product behind this search: the SAMS IS-04Z1.
SAMS IS-04Z1
An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Gulf of Mexico Rigs. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
- IP68 sealed
- 4,000 mAh battery
- 50 MP camera
- Android 16
- Zone 1 / Zone 21 design target
The site · US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs
US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs: where the IS-04Z1 would work
Who operates there and which kinds of classified area a handset would meet, from the SAMS site research.
Operators and companies on site
- BP
- Shell
- Chevron
- ExxonMobil
Classified areas to expect
- Drill floors and well bays
- Production process decks
- Wellhead areas
- Utility and compression areas
Local conditions · US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs
What US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs means for portable equipment
Regulation
BSEE is the lead federal agency for safety and environmental oversight on the Outer Continental Shelf.
Field notes · US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs
More about US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs that matters for portable equipment
US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs: projects and investment
About 27,000 abandoned oil and gas wells lie beneath the Gulf, so well plugging and decommissioning is a continuing source of offshore work alongside production.
US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs: industry on the ground
The Gulf is one of the largest offshore petroleum regions in the world and accounts for about 14 percent of United States crude oil production, according to the encyclopaedia entry on the Gulf.
US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs: rules and approvals
The US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement is the federal agency responsible for offshore safety and environmental protection and sets decommissioning requirements, including plans for removing platforms and plugging wells.
US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs: people and language
By 1975 around 400 rigs in the Gulf hosted a temporary population of more than 10,000 workers, rotated on staggered weekly schedules, and automation has since reduced the offshore headcount.
The term · ATEX and IECEx
What “ATEX and IECEx” means for a smartphone
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 US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs. Offshore reviewers in the US Gulf typically look to the operator's safety case and BSEE oversight, with NEC or Zone-based evidence. BP, Shell, Chevron and ExxonMobil also employ international contractors who may carry ATEX or IECEx documents, which a dual route is designed to serve. Both are in progress for SAMS and none is issued.
The route · specification
Specifying an ATEX and IECEx mobile phone for Gulf of Mexico Rigs
A short checklist for anyone writing or reviewing the specification, with the IS-04Z1 status against each point.
Check on the paper
- Marking
- Equipment group, category, protection concept, gas group and temperature class, matched to the area drawing.
- Certificate and schedule
- A certificate number, issuing body and the schedule of conditions, not a brochure claim.
- Standards edition
- The IEC 60079 or national standard edition the certificate was issued against.
Check for the IS-04Z1
- Marking target
- II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4: a target, not yet a certificate.
- Certificate status
- IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 in progress; none issued.
- Operator approval
- Separate from the certificate and handled with the site operator.
Questions · Gulf of Mexico Rigs
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an ATEX and IECEx mobile phone in Gulf of Mexico Rigs today?
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.
What does an ATEX and IECEx mobile phone in Gulf of Mexico Rigs cost?
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.
Is the IS-04Z1 ATEX and IECEx certified?
Not yet. Both routes are in progress with TÜV in Germany and no certificate has been issued. Any listing that says otherwise is wrong.
Which areas at US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs would use it?
Likely candidates are drill floors and well bays, production process decks, wellhead areas, utility and compression areas. Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
Is intrinsically safe the same as explosion proof?
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.
Why do offshore handsets need a long battery and strong charging plan?
Offshore trips run for days at a time with crews rotating on set schedules, and charging points in classified areas are limited. Plan for a full-shift battery, spare cells approved for the area, and charging only in safe areas as the platform rules require.
Is decommissioning work a factor for handset demand in the Gulf?
Decommissioning is a steady activity, with tens of thousands of old wells to plug and structures to remove under regulator-approved plans. Contractors on these jobs still work in areas that may contain hydrocarbons, so the same area-classification checks apply.
How do logistics affect offshore equipment?
Facilities lie well offshore, with Thunder Horse about 150 miles south-east of New Orleans, so access depends on helicopter and vessel schedules. Plan device enrolment, battery charging and safe-area handover onshore, and ask the operator how equipment is checked and approved before it travels.
Related guides
Keep exploring
More on Gulf of Mexico Rigs, and on other places in United States.
IECEx Mobile Phone in Gulf of Mexico RigsSame place, different guide
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Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone in Gulf of Mexico RigsSame place, different guide
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United States market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for United StatesEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs, United States
Share the site details and quantity. You will get the datasheet and the certification schedule back by email; pricing is indicative only until launch.
Enquiry · US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Gulf of Mexico Rigs?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.