PPL: background
The Kandhkot gas field was discovered in 1959, but production did not start until 1987 because of low demand, showing a long gap between discovery and development.
PPL · explosion proof
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier for PPL
PPL contributes over 20% of Pakistan's natural gas supplies and is one of the country's largest exploration and production companies, headquartered in Karachi. It also operates fields such as Kandhkot, Mazarani and Chachar. This page sets out how an explosion proof mobile phone supply route to PPL will work for the IS-04Z1, and what is and is not available before launch.
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 topicexplosion proof
DeviceMobile Phone
RouteSupply
WherePPL
Short answer. An explosion proof mobile phone for PPL cannot be bought yet: the SAMS IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued), and the datasheet, certification schedule and safe-area evaluation units are available now.
Status: pre-launch. IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress and no certificate has been issued; launch is planned for Q4 2026. An operator's own vendor approval is a separate step. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · explosion proof
Checklist: explosion proof mobile phone for PPL
| 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 | PPL: Gas wellheads and gathering, Gas processing and compression plants, Condensate handling | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Pakistan
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 Pakistan. 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 · PPL
Pakistan Petroleum Limited and the IS-04Z1
Where it operates and the kinds of classified area a handset would meet there.
Sites and areas
- Chachar (Sindh)
- Hala
- Sui (Balochistan)
- Kandhkot
Classified areas
- Gas wellheads and gathering
- Gas processing and compression plants
- Condensate handling
Supplier approval · PPL
Supplier registration at PPL
PPL runs an e-procurement portal (eprocurement.ppl.com.pk) through which tenders are issued and bids submitted; confirm vendor registration steps with its support team. 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 · PPL
More about PPL that matters for portable equipment
PPL: projects and investment
PPL also holds interests in partner-operated producing fields, including the Qadirpur, Sawan and Miano gas fields and the Tal, Nashpa and Gambat blocks, alongside its own operated fields.
PPL: industry on the ground
Bolan Mining Enterprises, an equal joint venture with the Balochistan government, runs a 50,000 tonnes-a-year grinding mill at Khuzdar that supplies barytes to oil companies in Pakistan, adding a mineral-dust workplace.
PPL: who works there
The Sui gas field, discovered in 1952, is the company's flagship project and is in a depletion phase, with PPL as operator holding 100% of both Sui and Kandhkot.
The term · explosion proof
What “explosion proof” means for a smartphone
“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 PPL. Gas gathering and condensate handling bring the question of what explosion-proof actually means. Flameproof Ex d is a heavy-enclosure concept for fixed electrical equipment, while intrinsic safety limits energy in portable electronics. A phone used near condensate handling relies on intrinsic safety, with the target marking II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4, once certified.
The route · supply
Sourcing the IS-04Z1 for PPL
There is no stock to order for PPL yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch, certification is in progress, and supply will run through authorised distributors after the certificates are issued. Procurement teams can prepare now with the datasheet, the certification schedule and a safe-area evaluation.
- 01
Request the datasheet
The technical specification, marking target and conditions of use, sent by email.
- 02
Ask for the certification schedule
Which certificates are in progress, in what order, and what is still to be confirmed.
- 03
Evaluate in a safe area
Evaluation units can be used for connectivity, MDM enrolment and workflow testing outside classified areas.
- 04
Register for launch
Tell us the site, zone, gas group and quantity so the right authorised distributor can contact you.
Questions · PPL
Frequently asked questions
Can PPL buy the IS-04Z1 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 explosion proof mobile phone for PPL cost?
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.
Is the IS-04Z1 explosion proof or intrinsically safe?
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.
How does PPL approve suppliers?
PPL runs an e-procurement portal (eprocurement.ppl.com.pk) through which tenders are issued and bids submitted; confirm vendor registration steps with its support team.
How will SAMS supply PPL?
Through authorised distributors once certificates exist. Until then SAMS can send the datasheet and certification schedule and arrange safe-area evaluation units.
Where are PPL's main hazardous-area sites?
The Sui gas field in Balochistan and the Kandhkot field in Sindh are the best-known operations, with wells, gathering lines and gas processing facilities. Zoning is facility-specific, so ask PPL's HSE team for area classification drawings before specifying handheld equipment.
What certificates do Pakistani oil and gas sites usually accept?
Operators commonly accept recognised international explosive-atmosphere certificates such as ATEX or IECEx and may add their own specifications. There is no public approved list, so confirm with PPL which certificates it accepts for handheld devices in classified areas.
How are tenders issued by PPL?
The sheet says PPL runs an e-procurement portal through which tenders are issued and bids submitted. Registration steps and any vendor requirements should be confirmed with PPL's support team, as they may change. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and has no certificate, so it cannot be bid as certified equipment.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for PPL and for Pakistan.
IECEx Mobile Phone for PPLSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Supplier for PPLSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone for PPLSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone for PPLSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for OGDCLElsewhere in Pakistan
Pakistan market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for PakistanEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · PPL
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for PPL, Pakistan
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 · PPL
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for PPL?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.