Tengizchevroil: background
The joint venture was formed in April 1993, when the Kazakh government granted it exclusive 40-year development rights, so it is a long-established operation with mature site procedures.
Tengizchevroil · ATEX and IECEx
ATEX and IECEx Smartphone for Tengizchevroil
Tengizchevroil is a joint venture developing the Tengiz and Korolevskoye fields in the Atyrau region of Kazakhstan. Its shareholders are Chevron (50%), ExxonMobil (25%) and KazMunayGas (20%), with a further minority holder (5%). First oil from its Future Growth Project Third-Generation Plant came in January 2025. This page explains what to look for in an ATEX and IECEx smartphone for Tengizchevroil, 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
WhereTengizchevroil
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Tengizchevroil: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
Where things stand: the IS-04Z1 has not launched, and none of its four certification routes has produced a certificate yet. 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 Tengizchevroil
| 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 | Tengizchevroil: Crude oil production plants (including the Third-Generation Plant), Wellsites and gathering facilities | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Kazakhstan
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 Kazakhstan. 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 · Tengizchevroil
Tengizchevroil LLP (TCO): 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
- Tengiz field, Atyrau region
- Korolevskoye field
Classified areas
- Crude oil production plants (including the Third-Generation Plant)
- Wellsites and gathering facilities
Supplier approval · Tengizchevroil
Supplier registration at Tengizchevroil
TCO's procurement favours qualified Kazakhstani contractors (over 1,250 contracts awarded to local firms on the Future Growth Project); confirm current supplier requirements with TCO. 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 · Tengizchevroil
More about Tengizchevroil that matters for portable equipment
Tengizchevroil: rules and approvals
Because the venture is operated for international partners, supplier access normally runs through its own approved-contractor and HSE induction process rather than a general national register; confirm current rules with its procurement team.
Tengizchevroil: people and language
The company is reported to employ about 4,000 people, around 95% of them residents of Kazakhstan, which makes local-language training and instructions important for any new equipment.
Tengizchevroil: geography and layout
Chevron describes Tengiz as the world's deepest producing supergiant oil field, with the top of the reservoir roughly 13,000 feet, or about 4,000 metres, below ground.
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 Tengizchevroil. A Tengizchevroil reviewer would expect certificate evidence before a handheld enters the production plants at Tengiz, including the Third-Generation Plant. As a joint venture with international shareholders and many contractors, a dual ATEX and IECEx route lets one product answer both families of paperwork. The IS-04Z1 is in certification and no certificate has been issued.
The route · specification
Specifying an ATEX and IECEx smartphone for Tengizchevroil
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 · Tengizchevroil
Frequently asked questions
Can Tengizchevroil 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 smartphone for Tengizchevroil 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 Tengizchevroil approve suppliers?
TCO's procurement favours qualified Kazakhstani contractors (over 1,250 contracts awarded to local firms on the Future Growth Project); confirm current supplier requirements with TCO.
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.
Who approves handheld equipment for work at the Tengiz field?
Equipment approval is typically managed by the operator's own HSE and engineering groups, together with its contractor management process. There is no public list, so a supplier should ask Tengizchevroil's procurement team which certifications and area classifications are required before any site trial.
Can a supplier sell directly to Tengizchevroil or must it go through a contractor?
Both routes exist in large oil ventures. Direct supply normally requires registration with the company's procurement system, while many devices reach site through engineering contractors who must meet the same standards. Ask the procurement team which route applies to your product category.
What does extreme cold mean for a handheld at Tengiz?
Low temperatures cut battery capacity and can make screens sluggish. IP68 helps with dust and snow but is not an explosion rating. Check the datasheet operating range, test at your coldest conditions, keep spare batteries warm and charge only in safe areas. Site HSE rules will set how devices are carried.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for Tengizchevroil and for Kazakhstan.
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Supplier for TengizchevroilSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for TengizchevroilSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone for TengizchevroilSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone for TengizchevroilSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for KazMunayGasElsewhere in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for KazakhstanEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Tengizchevroil
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Tengizchevroil, Kazakhstan
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Enquiry · Tengizchevroil
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Tengizchevroil?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.