Petronas: who works there
Petronas Carigali, formed in 1978, is the principal exploration and production subsidiary, with Petronas Dagangan and Petronas Chemicals handling marketing and petrochemicals, so each business unit runs its own sites.
PETRONAS is Malaysia's state-owned oil and gas company, integrated across exploration, production, refining, gas, LNG and petrochemicals. The headquarters is in Tower 1 of the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, while operating assets are offshore and in Sarawak, Sabah and the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. If you are specifying an explosion proof mobile phone for Petronas, 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 Petronas: 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. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Protection concept | Flameproof (Ex d) or intrinsic safety (Ex i) | Intrinsic safety, level ib |
| Zone suitability | Zone 1 gas and Zone 21 dust | Design target for Zone 1 and 21 |
| Certificate | Number, issuing body and schedule of conditions | In progress; not issued |
| Where it applies | Petronas: Petrochemical complexes, Gas processing plants, Offshore platforms | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Malaysia. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
Where it operates and the kinds of classified area a handset would meet there.
Suppliers apply for a PETRONAS licence or registration through the PETRONAS Licensing Management System (PLMS), then trade through its procurement platforms such as the Unified Procurement Platform and B2B Marketplace. A licence covers upstream and downstream supply; a registration covers downstream subsidiaries only. 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.
Petronas Carigali, formed in 1978, is the principal exploration and production subsidiary, with Petronas Dagangan and Petronas Chemicals handling marketing and petrochemicals, so each business unit runs its own sites.
Petronas was established and incorporated on 17 August 1974 under the Petroleum Development Act, and is vested with all oil and gas resources in Malaysia, so it is the licensor as well as an operator.
In 1978 Petronas set up the Malaysia LNG joint venture with Mitsubishi and Shell, taking 65% equity, which led to the large LNG complex in Bintulu, Sarawak, with its cryogenic and gas hazards.
The company is vertically integrated, active in exploration, extraction, refining, distribution and marketing, power generation and trading, so hazardous areas span offshore platforms, plants and fuel retail.
“Explosion proof” is the phrase most buyers use for equipment that may be taken into a classified hazardous area. Strictly, it covers several protection concepts: a flameproof enclosure (Ex d) contains an internal explosion, while intrinsic safety (Ex i) limits electrical energy so that an ignition cannot start. Phones are normally intrinsically safe, because a flameproof handset would be too heavy to carry all shift.
The IS-04Z1 uses intrinsic safety, with a marking target of Ex ib IIC T4, and is designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21. It is pre-launch, certification is in progress and no certificate has been issued.
In Petronas. At Bintulu LNG, Kertih or Pengerang, explosion-proof is everyday shorthand for different concepts. Flameproof Ex d protects fixed equipment such as motors and junction boxes, while intrinsic safety limits electrical energy and suits phones. LNG liquefaction brings flammable natural gas, so a portable device is judged on intrinsic safety, which the IS-04Z1 is designed around.
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.
It is intrinsically safe (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), which is the usual way to make a phone for hazardous areas. It is not a flameproof (Ex d) design, and certification is still in progress.
Suppliers apply for a PETRONAS licence or registration through the PETRONAS Licensing Management System (PLMS), then trade through its procurement platforms such as the Unified Procurement Platform and B2B Marketplace. A licence covers upstream and downstream supply; a registration covers downstream subsidiaries only.
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.
Petronas runs a vendor registration and licensing process for suppliers and contractors, and its business units apply their own technical assessment. Details change, so confirm the current registration route and product categories directly with Petronas procurement before offering equipment.
Typical Zone 1 and Zone 2 sites include offshore platforms, gas processing and LNG facilities such as Bintulu, refineries, petrochemical plants and fuel terminals. Classification is site-specific, so ask the operating unit's HSE team for area classification drawings and its rules for portable electronics.
PETRONAS says suppliers apply for a licence or registration through its licensing system. A licence covers upstream and downstream supply, while a registration covers downstream subsidiaries only. Check current requirements with PETRONAS. SAMS has appointed no distributor, and the IS-04Z1 has no certificate yet.
Other guides for Petronas, other places in Malaysia, and the pages behind them.
Share the site details and quantity. You will get the datasheet and the certification schedule back by email; pricing is indicative only until launch.
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.