PetroSA: rules and approvals
The Petroleum Agency of South Africa (PASA) is the state regulator for onshore and offshore oil and gas exploration, and was split out of Soekor when PetroSA was created.
PetroSA · ATEX and IECEx
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for PetroSA
PetroSA is South Africa's state-owned oil and gas company, a subsidiary of CEF SOC Limited. PetroSA has been a member of the Fuels Industry Association of South Africa since 2002, which links it to the wider fuels sector and its industry safety practice. This page sets out how an ATEX and IECEx mobile phone supply route to PetroSA 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
WherePetroSA
Short answer. An ATEX and IECEx mobile phone for PetroSA 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.
Status: pre-launch. IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress and no certificate has been issued; launch is planned 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 PetroSA
| 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 | PetroSA: Gas-to-liquids process units, Offshore platforms, Gas and condensate handling | Classified by the site operator |
Product · South Africa
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 South Africa. 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 · PetroSA
The Petroleum, Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa (PetroSA): operations and where an Ex phone fits
A short profile of its operations and the kinds of classified area that matter for portable equipment.
Sites and areas
- Mossel Bay GTL refinery
- FA production platform
- Bredasdorp Basin gas fields (F-A and E-M)
Classified areas
- Gas-to-liquids process units
- Offshore platforms
- Gas and condensate handling
Supplier approval · PetroSA
Becoming an approved supplier to PetroSA
PetroSA lists a supplier procurement portal on its website (procurement.petrosa.com); confirm current registration and equipment approval requirements with its procurement and HSE teams. 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 · PetroSA
More about PetroSA that matters for portable equipment
PetroSA: projects and investment
The Oribi field, discovered in 1990, was the first oilfield development in South Africa, operated by Soekor before it merged into PetroSA.
PetroSA: background
The first South African offshore well was drilled in 1969, and natural gas deposits were found on the continental shelf off the Southern Cape coast, which led to today's offshore gas business.
PetroSA: geography and layout
PetroSA is headquartered in Cape Town, while its main gas fields lie offshore about 89 km from Mossel Bay on the South Coast, so field and plant work are in different places.
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 PetroSA. A PetroSA reviewer would expect certificate evidence tied to the exact equipment, bearing in mind that the sheet describes the Mossel Bay refinery as owned, not as an operating plant. International contractors on any restart work often carry ATEX or IECEx documents, so a dual route helps. The IS-04Z1 programme is in progress.
The route · supply
Sourcing the IS-04Z1 for PetroSA
Nothing can be bought for PetroSA today: the IS-04Z1 is pre-launch, and SAMS will supply end users through authorised distributors once certificates exist. What a buyer can do now is take the specification, ask for the written certification schedule and arrange a safe-area evaluation, so that the right local channel contacts you at launch.
- 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 · PetroSA
Frequently asked questions
Can PetroSA buy the IS-04Z1 today?
Not yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and its certification is still in progress ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. No unit goes into a classified area before the certificate covering it exists. The datasheet, the certification schedule and safe-area evaluation units are available now.
What does an ATEX and IECEx mobile phone for PetroSA cost?
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.
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 PetroSA approve suppliers?
PetroSA lists a supplier procurement portal on its website (procurement.petrosa.com); confirm current registration and equipment approval requirements with its procurement and HSE teams.
How will SAMS supply PetroSA?
Through authorised distributors once certificates exist. Until then SAMS can send the datasheet and certification schedule and arrange safe-area evaluation units.
Where would handheld intrinsically safe equipment be used at PetroSA?
The main classified areas are the offshore gas production units and the gas-to-liquids plant at Mossel Bay, with its process units, storage and loading. Exact zoning is set per installation, so ask PetroSA's HSE team for area classification drawings before specifying devices.
How does the coastal climate at Mossel Bay affect phone selection?
Mossel Bay is on the South Coast, so sea air brings salt and humidity that can corrode connectors and cases. Look for sealed ports, good ingress protection and corrosion-resistant materials, and ask the site about its own environmental requirements for portable electronics.
Is the Mossel Bay refinery operating at present?
The sheet notes search reports that it has been idle since 2020 with a phased restart planned, but this was not confirmed from a fetched page. Confirm current status with PetroSA. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and has no certificate, so no deployment can be planned yet.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Other guides for PetroSA, other places in South Africa, and the pages behind them.
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier for PetroSASame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone for PetroSASame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Supplier for PetroSASame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone for PetroSASame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for SasolElsewhere in South Africa
South Africa market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for South AfricaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · PetroSA
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for PetroSA, South Africa
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Enquiry · PetroSA
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for PetroSA?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.