PDO: who works there
PDO is owned 60 per cent by the Government of Oman, 34 per cent by Shell, 4 per cent by TotalEnergies and 2 per cent by Partex, and employs more than 9,000 people.
PDO · ATEX and IECEx
ATEX and IECEx Smartphone for PDO
Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) is Oman's main oil and gas producer, operating a concession of about 90,000 square kilometres. The Government of Oman holds 60 per cent, Shell 34, TotalEnergies 4 and Partex 2. This page explains what to look for in an ATEX and IECEx smartphone for PDO, 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
DeviceSmartphone
RouteSpecification
WherePDO
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for PDO: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
For the record, no certificate exists for the IS-04Z1 today. The programme is under way ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. 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 smartphone for PDO
| 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 | PDO: Wellheads and flowlines, Gas processing plants, Oil production and gathering stations | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Oman
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 Oman. 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 · PDO
Petroleum Development Oman and the IS-04Z1
Where it operates and the kinds of classified area a handset would meet there.
Sites and areas
- Saih Rawl
- Saih Nihayda
- Yibal
- Nimr
Classified areas
- Wellheads and flowlines
- Gas processing plants
- Oil production and gathering stations
Supplier approval · PDO
Becoming an approved supplier to PDO
Joint Supplier Registration System (JSRS) certification from the Ministry of Energy and Minerals is a prerequisite before suppliers can be qualified by PDO; PDO's website has a Vendor Corner for registration. 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 · PDO
More about PDO that matters for portable equipment
PDO: infrastructure
A 276 kilometre pipeline from the interior fields to the coast was laid in the 1960s, ending at an industrial complex, tank farm and marine terminal at Mina al Fahal near Muscat.
PDO: rules and approvals
PDO's headquarters are at Mina Al Fahal in Muscat, and supplier guides say firms generally cannot bid on PDO tenders without prior vendor registration and approval.
PDO: background
PDO's name was shortened to Petroleum Development (Oman) in 1951 after the Dhofar concession lapsed, and the company later operated as Petroleum Development Oman from 1967.
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 PDO. A PDO procurement or HSE reviewer would expect certificate evidence tied to the exact equipment and zone, not a brochure claim. Across a concession of about 90,000 square kilometres, a dual ATEX and IECEx route would help contractors who arrive with approvals from several jurisdictions. The IS-04Z1 certification is in progress and no certificate has been issued.
The route · specification
Specifying an ATEX and IECEx smartphone for PDO
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 · PDO
Frequently asked questions
Can PDO buy the IS-04Z1 today?
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.
What does an ATEX and IECEx smartphone for PDO 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 PDO approve suppliers?
Joint Supplier Registration System (JSRS) certification from the Ministry of Energy and Minerals is a prerequisite before suppliers can be qualified by PDO; PDO's website has a Vendor Corner for registration.
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.
Where does PDO work involve Zone 1 areas?
Typically at wellsites, production stations and gas processing plants in the interior concession area, and at the Mina al Fahal coastal terminal and tank farm. The operator issues the hazardous-area classification for each facility, so ask for the zone, gas group and temperature class before selecting equipment.
Is PDO the only major operator in Oman?
PDO is the largest onshore exploration and production company and delivers most of Oman's crude oil and gas supply, but other operators and OQ's refining and petrochemical businesses also run hazardous-area sites. Each organisation sets its own supplier and equipment rules, so confirm with the one that controls your site.
How would the phone cope with desert heat on remote concession sites?
The IS-04Z1 is IP68 rated against dust and water and carries a 4,000 mAh battery, but ambient temperature limits will come from the final certificate and datasheet. Do not assume operation beyond the stated temperature range. IP68 is not explosion protection. Check the temperature class against the area before use.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for PDO and for Oman.
IECEx Mobile Phone for PDOSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier for PDOSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone for PDOSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for PDOSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for OQElsewhere in Oman
Oman market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for OmanEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · PDO
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for PDO, Oman
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Enquiry · PDO
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for PDO?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.