CNOOC: industry on the ground
A 2019 national science award recognised CNOOC's exploration of a deep, large-scale condensate gas field in the Bohai Bay Basin, which is a major offshore production area.
CNOOC is a Beijing-headquartered state-owned company, established in 1982, focused on offshore oil and gas. The group's headquarters are in Beijing, in a building that opened in 2006, while production is offshore, notably in Bohai Bay and the South China Sea, far from head office. If you are specifying an explosion proof smartphone for CNOOC, 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 CNOOC: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
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.
| 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 | CNOOC: Offshore production platforms and FPSOs, Onshore terminals, Refinery and petrochemical plants | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in China. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
A short profile of its operations and the kinds of classified area that matter for portable equipment.
Supplier registration and equipment approval are run by the organisation itself; confirm current requirements with its procurement and HSE teams. 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.
A 2019 national science award recognised CNOOC's exploration of a deep, large-scale condensate gas field in the Bohai Bay Basin, which is a major offshore production area.
CNOOC is the third-largest national oil company in China, owned by the state through SASAC, with CNOOC Limited and China Oilfield Services as its listed subsidiaries.
CNOOC Gas and Power is described as China's largest LNG importer and terminal operator, so LNG receiving terminals form a major class of its cryogenic and gas hazardous areas.
CNOOC was incorporated in 1982 under State Council regulations for cooperation with foreign enterprises, and was authorised to take overall responsibility for offshore oil and gas in China.
“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 CNOOC. On offshore platforms and FPSOs in the Bohai Sea and South China Sea, 'explosion-proof' loosely covers several concepts. Flameproof Ex d protects fixed equipment, while intrinsic safety limits the energy of a handheld. A phone on a platform deck is portable, so the IS-04Z1 is designed around intrinsic safety.
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.
Supplier registration and equipment approval are run by the organisation itself; confirm current requirements with its procurement and HSE teams.
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.
China operates its own explosion-protection certification scheme, commonly marked Ex with a national certificate, in addition to international schemes. CNOOC and its contractors normally ask for the certificate accepted in China, so confirm the required marks and testing bodies before offering devices.
Yes. Offshore platforms combine confined spaces, salt air and vibration with gas and oil areas, while LNG terminals involve cryogenic liquids, large storage tanks and jetties. Ask the facility for area classification drawings, and check device ratings for each environment.
Not by itself. CNOOC runs its own supplier registration and equipment approval, and national requirements may apply. IECEx documents help comparison but do not replace them. The IS-04Z1 has no certificate yet. Confirm current requirements with CNOOC's procurement and HSE teams before planning any evaluation.
Other guides for CNOOC, other places in China, and the pages behind them.
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.