History
Oil was discovered in the Williston Basin in 1951. Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing lifted output, and North Dakota and Montana together passed 1 million barrels a day in April 2014.
North Dakota Bakken · Ex-proof
Ex-Proof Smartphone Distributor in North Dakota Bakken
The Bakken is a shale oil formation in the Williston Basin of western North Dakota, centred on towns such as Williston and Watford City. Zone 1 work arises at drilling rigs, wellsites, tank batteries and gas gathering facilities. An Ex-proof smartphone distributor in Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin) would carry the IS-04Z1 to these buyers once certification completes.
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 topicEx-proof
DeviceSmartphone
RouteDistribution
WhereNorth Dakota Bakken
Short answer. Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin) has no appointed SAMS distributor yet: the IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued, launch planned for Q4 2026), and distributor applications are open.
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 · Ex-proof
Checklist: Ex-proof smartphone for Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin)
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Ex marking | Group, category, protection concept, gas group, temperature class | II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4 (target) |
| Gas group | IIA, IIB or IIC matched to the area drawing | IIC (target) |
| Temperature class | T-class below the ignition temperature of the gas | T4, 135 °C (target) |
| Where it applies | Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin): Gas gathering and processing, Crude loading facilities, Drilling rigs | Classified by the site operator |
Product · North Dakota Bakken
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 North Dakota Bakken. 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 site · Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin)
Working in Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin): operators and classified areas
The companies on site and the hazardous-area types a handset is likely to meet there.
Operators and companies on site
- Continental Resources
- Chord Energy
- Chevron (via Hess)
- EOG Resources
Classified areas to expect
- Drilling rigs
- Wellsites and tank batteries
- Gas gathering and processing
- Crude loading facilities
Local conditions · Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin)
Site conditions at Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin): what wears and what limits equipment
Operators
Operators listed for the Bakken include Continental Resources, Chord Energy, EOG Resources and Hess. Chevron completed its purchase of Hess on 18 July 2025.
Field notes · Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin)
More about Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin) that matters for portable equipment
Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin): geography and layout
The Bakken is relatively thin, no more than 250 feet, with low permeability, so better knowledge of where the resource lies has translated directly into higher output.
Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin): people and language
Williston, founded in 1887, had 29,160 residents in 2020, its population nearly doubling between 2010 and 2020 because of the oil boom.
Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin): climate and equipment wear
Williston has a cold semi-arid climate with a January mean near 11.5 degrees Fahrenheit, about 39 days a year with lows of zero or below, and extremes from minus 50 to 110 degrees.
Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin): industry on the ground
North Dakota crude oil production passed 1.0 million barrels a day, driven by the Bakken and Three Forks formations of the Williston Basin in North Dakota and eastern Montana.
The term · Ex-proof
What “Ex-proof” means for a smartphone
“Ex-proof” is shorthand for equipment carrying an explosion-protection marking (the Ex mark) that matches the area it enters. The marking states the protection concept, gas or dust group and temperature class, and it must be backed by a certificate issued by a recognised body, so a phone described as Ex-proof should come with a certificate number you can check.
The IS-04Z1 is designed to carry the marking II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4. That is a target: certification is in progress, no certificate has been issued, and SAMS will publish the certificate numbers when they exist.
In Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin). A marking check at a drilling rig, tank battery or gas gathering site would match zone, gas group and temperature class with the operator's classification. The IS-04Z1 target is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4, intended for Zone 1 gas. The operator determines what group and class actually apply at each location.
The route · distribution
Distributing the IS-04Z1 in North Dakota Bakken
A distributor for Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin) would carry the IS-04Z1 after certification completes; the Q4 2026 launch is the planning date and no appointment has been made. SAMS reviews applicants one by one and prefers companies with their own Ex-competent technical and service staff, since certified devices must not be repaired outside approved channels.
What SAMS looks for in a partner
- Operator relationships
- Existing supplier registrations or a clear route to them with the main operators and contractors in Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin).
- Ex-competent staff
- People who understand zone classification, markings and the conditions of a certificate.
And equally important
- Local-language support
- Documentation, training and helpdesk in the languages the workforce uses.
- Service capability
- Spares, battery replacement and repair routed through SAMS-approved channels.
Questions · North Dakota Bakken
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an Ex-proof smartphone in North Dakota Bakken 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 Ex-proof smartphone in North Dakota Bakken 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.
What Ex marking will the IS-04Z1 carry?
The marking target is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4. It becomes a marking only when the certificate is issued; until then it is a design target.
Which areas at Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin) would use it?
Likely candidates are drilling rigs, wellsites and tank batteries, gas gathering and processing, crude loading facilities. Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
How do I become a SAMS distributor for Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin)?
Apply through the distributor page with your company details and the territory you cover. SAMS reviews applications company by company and has not yet granted a territory for Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin).
How do I get to Williston from overseas?
Williston Basin International Airport opened in 2019 and is the closest airport, usually reached through a larger US hub. Allow for road transfers and winter weather delays, and agree site access in advance.
Are Bakken sites very remote?
Many wellpads and processing plants are spread over rural plains, with Williston acting as the main service base. Confirm network coverage, emergency contact procedures and lone-worker policies with the operator, because coverage and response times differ from city sites.
Which regulator sets the rules for oil and gas work here?
The North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas Division oversees oil and gas activity. It does not approve phones. Equipment requirements generally come from operators and field service contractors, and SAMS holds no certificate yet, so ask the relevant operator what it would accept.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Other guides for North Dakota Bakken, other places in United States, and the pages behind them.
IECEx Mobile Phone in North Dakota BakkenSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone in North Dakota BakkenSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone in North Dakota BakkenSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone in North Dakota BakkenSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in North Dakota BakkenSame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone in North Dakota BakkenSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in Baton RougeElsewhere in United States
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in US Shale Oil OperationsElsewhere in United States
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in Midland OdessaElsewhere in United States
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in Beaumont TexasElsewhere in United States
United States market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for United StatesEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin)
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin), United States
Share the site details and quantity. You will get the datasheet and the certification schedule back by email; pricing is indicative only until launch.
Enquiry · Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin)
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for North Dakota Bakken?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.