Bapco: rules and approvals
Bahrain's radio equipment conformity requirements follow the EU radio equipment directive, certificates are valid for a limited period, currently three years, and approved products must be labelled.
Bapco · ATEX and IECEx
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for Bapco
The Bahrain Petroleum Company was founded in 1929, discovered oil in 1932 and built Bahrain's first refinery in 1936. Bapco Energies, formerly nogaholding, was set up in 2007 and became an independent agency when the National Oil and Gas Authority was abolished in September 2021, so it now acts as the Bahrain energy group's parent. This page sets out how an ATEX and IECEx mobile phone supply route to Bapco will work for the IS-04Z1, and what is and is not available before launch.
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
RouteSupply
WhereBapco
Short answer. An ATEX and IECEx mobile phone for Bapco cannot be bought yet: the SAMS IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued), and the datasheet, certification schedule and safe-area evaluation units are available now.
Current position: certification in progress, nothing issued, launch targeted for Q4 2026. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · ATEX and IECEx
Checklist: ATEX and IECEx mobile phone for Bapco
| 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 | Bapco: Gas handling, Onshore oil production, Refinery process units | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Bahrain
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 Bahrain. 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 organisation · Bapco
Bapco Energies (Bapco Refining is the successor of the Bahrain Petroleum Company) and the IS-04Z1
Where it operates and the kinds of classified area a handset would meet there.
Sites and areas
- Sitra refinery complex
- Bahrain Field (Awali)
- Aviation fuelling (Bapco Air Fueling)
Classified areas
- Refinery process units
- Fuel storage tank farms and wharf
- Gas handling
- Onshore oil production
Supplier approval · Bapco
Becoming an approved supplier to Bapco
Bapco Energies' website carries a Vendors & Suppliers page under its Our Responsibility section; confirm current registration steps with its procurement team. The Ex certificate and an organisation's own vendor or engineering approval are two separate timelines; SAMS is working towards both and holds neither today.
Field notes · Bapco
More about Bapco that matters for portable equipment
Bapco: who works there
Bapco Refining owns and operates the 267,000 barrel a day refinery, while Bapco Energies provides central HR, finance, audit, risk, IT and commercial support, so supplier questions may involve both entities.
Bapco: projects and investment
Bahrain's November 2020 gas strategy calls for a national gas grid and pipelines to neighbouring Gulf states, and Bapco Energies has also commissioned a study on a hydrogen economy.
Bapco: projects and investment
Bapco Refining manages what Bapco Energies calls the largest energy investment in Bahrain, so contractor and commissioning activity is heavy around the refinery.
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 Bapco. A Bapco Energies reviewer checking a handset for the Sitra refinery or the Bahrain Field would expect a certificate of conformity, schedule of conditions and legible marking. Holding ATEX and IECEx evidence helps international contractors and EPCs who work on Bahrain's refinery modernisation. The IS-04Z1 certification is in progress and nothing has been issued.
The route · supply
Sourcing the IS-04Z1 for Bapco
There is no stock to order for Bapco yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch, certification is in progress, and supply will run through authorised distributors after the certificates are issued. Procurement teams can prepare now with the datasheet, the certification schedule and a safe-area evaluation.
- 01
Request the datasheet
The technical specification, marking target and conditions of use, sent by email.
- 02
Ask for the certification schedule
Which certificates are in progress, in what order, and what is still to be confirmed.
- 03
Evaluate in a safe area
Evaluation units can be used for connectivity, MDM enrolment and workflow testing outside classified areas.
- 04
Register for launch
Tell us the site, zone, gas group and quantity so the right authorised distributor can contact you.
Questions · Bapco
Frequently asked questions
Can Bapco buy the IS-04Z1 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 for Bapco 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.
How does Bapco approve suppliers?
Bapco Energies' website carries a Vendors & Suppliers page under its Our Responsibility section; confirm current registration steps with its procurement team.
How will SAMS supply Bapco?
Through authorised distributors once certificates exist. Until then SAMS can send the datasheet and certification schedule and arrange safe-area evaluation units.
Does Bahrain require radio approval for phones used at refineries?
Radio equipment in Bahrain is normally approved against EU-style conformity requirements, with approved products labelled and certificates valid for a limited time, currently three years. Confirm the current rules with the telecommunications authority or your local importer, then ask Bapco about site device policy.
Who do suppliers deal with at Bapco, the refinery company or the energy group?
Both may be involved. Bapco Refining owns and operates the refinery, while Bapco Energies provides central support such as HR, finance, risk and commercial services. The company's website carries a vendors and suppliers page, so confirm the current registration route with procurement.
Can a phone be used for fuel loading and aviation fuelling areas at Bapco sites?
Only if its marking matches the area classification, which the operator sets. Fuel loading areas often involve IIA or IIB, but the documents decide. The IS-04Z1 target is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4, not yet certified. Confirm requirements with Bapco Energies' procurement and HSE teams.
Related guides
Keep exploring
More on Bapco, and on other places in Bahrain.
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Supplier for BapcoSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone for BapcoSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone for BapcoSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone for BapcoSame place, different guide
Bahrain market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for BahrainEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Bapco
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Bapco, Bahrain
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Enquiry · Bapco
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Bapco?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.