Access
Das Island lies about 160 km north-west of the UAE mainland and is staffed by about 6,000 oil and gas personnel on a rotational schedule, so access is by operator-controlled sea and air transport.
The UAE's main offshore oil and gas fields lie in the Arabian Gulf off Abu Dhabi. Upper Zakum, discovered in 1963 and on stream since 1977, is operated as part of ADNOC Offshore (formerly ZADCO), with offshore output handled at island facilities such as Das Island and Zirku Island. If you are specifying an ATEX and IECEx smartphone for UAE offshore fields, this page covers the markings, the approvals and the current certification status of the IS-04Z1.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for UAE offshore fields: 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. A buyer's engineering review is separate from the certificate. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
| 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 | UAE offshore fields: Offshore production platforms and islands, Island processing and terminals, Platform and subsea pipelines | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in UAE Offshore. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
A short profile of the site and the kinds of classified area that matter for portable equipment.
Das Island lies about 160 km north-west of the UAE mainland and is staffed by about 6,000 oil and gas personnel on a rotational schedule, so access is by operator-controlled sea and air transport.
Desert marine climate; Zirku Island summer temperatures are typically 35 to 45 degrees C with high humidity.
Upper Zakum lies about 84 km north-west of the Abu Dhabi islands, so it is a boat or helicopter journey from the mainland.
UAE phones need federal type approval from the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, and offshore operators may add their own device rules on top.
ADNOC plans facilities to sustain production through 2030 on five islands: Zirku, Asseifiya, Umm Al Anbar, Al Ghallan and Ettouk.
Upper and Lower Zakum together hold around 50 billion barrels of oil in place and form the second largest offshore oilfield in the world.
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 UAE offshore fields. Offshore operators such as ADNOC Offshore and international partners in Upper Zakum would expect certificate numbers, markings and schedules of conditions for devices on platforms and islands. A dual ATEX and IECEx route also helps contractors who rotate between UAE offshore fields and projects abroad. The IS-04Z1 certificates are in progress.
A short checklist for anyone writing or reviewing the specification, with the IS-04Z1 status against each point.
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.
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.
Not yet. Both routes are in progress with TÜV in Germany and no certificate has been issued. Any listing that says otherwise is wrong.
Likely candidates are offshore production platforms and islands, island processing and terminals, platform and subsea pipelines, marine loading terminals. Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
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.
Artificial islands let operators drill many wells and handle production from fixed land-like platforms, and they favour extended-reach drilling. ADNOC Drilling has been contracted for new island rigs, so contractor numbers on the islands may rise. Confirm access and equipment rules with ADNOC Offshore.
Salt-laden humid air is typical, so look for sealed housings, corrosion-resistant connectors and a stated ingress protection rating. Rinse and dry devices as the manufacturer advises, and carry spares, as resupply is by sea or air.
The offshore setting is hot and humid with salt-laden air; Zirku Island summers reach 35 to 45 degrees C. The IS-04Z1 is designed to IP68 with a 4,000 mAh battery, but no heat or salt limits are published. Ask for the datasheet and agree use conditions with the operator.
Other guides for UAE Offshore, other places in United Arab Emirates, and the pages behind them.
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.