KOC: infrastructure
In May 2024 KOC and the Ministry of Electricity and Water announced plans for a 1 gigawatt solar project, to be built and run by a selected operator under a long-term power purchase agreement.
KOC · explosion proof
Explosion-Proof Smartphone for KOC
Kuwait Oil Company is a subsidiary of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) and holds the sole rights to explore for, produce and develop oil and gas in Kuwait. After Burgan, KOC's main fields were found at Magwa (1951), Ahmadi (1952), Raudhatain (1955), Sabriya (1957) and Minagish (1959). Its headquarters are in Al Ahmadi. If you are specifying an explosion proof smartphone for KOC, this page covers the markings, the approvals and the current certification status of the IS-04Z1.
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
DeviceSmartphone
RouteSpecification
WhereKOC
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for KOC: 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.
At a glance · explosion proof
Checklist: explosion proof smartphone for KOC
| 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 | KOC: Oil and gas production facilities, Wellheads and well pads, Gathering and processing facilities | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Kuwait
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 Kuwait. 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 · KOC
Working with Kuwait Oil Company: sites and classified areas
The main sites and the hazardous-area types a portable device is likely to meet at this organisation.
Sites and areas
- Ahmadi
- Raudhatain
- Sabriya
- Minagish
Classified areas
- Oil and gas production facilities
- Wellheads and well pads
- Gathering and processing facilities
Supplier approval · KOC
Supplier registration at KOC
KOC runs an eBusiness portal that lists tenders and handles prequalification of contractors and manufacturers; advanced features are for registered business partners. 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.
Field notes · KOC
More about KOC that matters for portable equipment
KOC: industry on the ground
KOC produces Kuwait Export Crude and Kuwait Super Light Crude, and is developing heavy crude from the Lower Fars formation, which usually means more heated and pressurised handling than light oil.
KOC: industry on the ground
KOC holds the sole rights to explore for, produce and develop oil and gas inside Kuwait, so one operator sets site practice across all of its fields. It is a subsidiary of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation.
KOC: projects and investment
Kuwait's stated goal is to lift oil production capacity to 4 million barrels a day by 2040; output was roughly 2.4 million barrels a day in 2024 against sustainable capacity of about 2.9 million.
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 KOC. Around desert oilfields explosion-proof is a general phrase. Flameproof Ex d protects fixed enclosures at wellheads and gathering facilities, while intrinsic safety suits portable devices. A phone used by operators visiting well pads at Raudhatain or Sabriya is an intrinsic safety question, and the IS-04Z1 is designed around that concept.
The route · specification
Specifying an explosion proof smartphone for KOC
A short checklist for anyone writing or reviewing the specification, with the IS-04Z1 status against each point.
Check on the paper
- Marking
- Equipment group, category, protection concept, gas group and temperature class, matched to the area drawing.
- Certificate and schedule
- A certificate number, issuing body and the schedule of conditions, not a brochure claim.
- Standards edition
- The IEC 60079 or national standard edition the certificate was issued against.
Check for the IS-04Z1
- Marking target
- II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4: a target, not yet a certificate.
- Certificate status
- IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 in progress; none issued.
- Operator approval
- Separate from the certificate and handled with the site operator.
Questions · KOC
Frequently asked questions
Can KOC 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 smartphone for KOC cost?
No price is published. While certification is in progress there is no list price and no committed lead time, and a supplier quoting a firm figure for an uncertified Ex handset is promising something it cannot stand behind. Indicative pre-launch pricing is issued in writing against a stated 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 KOC approve suppliers?
KOC runs an eBusiness portal that lists tenders and handles prequalification of contractors and manufacturers; advanced features are for registered business partners. Confirm current requirements with its procurement and HSE teams.
Is intrinsically safe the same as explosion proof?
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.
Do I need KOC approval before supplying handheld devices for its fields?
Supplier guides indicate that KOC expects registered, approved status on its supplier portal before bids or purchase orders, and classified-area equipment is normally checked against the operator's own HSE and electrical rules. Confirm the current registration steps and equipment approval route directly with KOC procurement and HSE.
Is approval with KOC accepted by other Kuwait Petroleum Corporation companies?
KOC is a subsidiary of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, but supplier guides say each KPC company keeps its own vendor database and criteria, so registration with one does not carry over automatically. KOC status is often viewed as a quality signal elsewhere in the group; verify each company's requirements separately.
Will desert heat and dust affect a handheld in the field?
Both are severe in summer. IP68 sealing helps against dust, but batteries lose capacity in heat, so keep spares in shade and charge in safe areas. IP68 is not explosion protection. Check the datasheet temperature range and trial devices at a well pad before committing to a fleet.
Related guides
Keep exploring
More on KOC, and on other places in Kuwait.
IECEx Mobile Phone for KOCSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone for KOCSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for KOCSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone for KOCSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for PICElsewhere in Kuwait
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for EQUATEElsewhere in Kuwait
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for KNPCElsewhere in Kuwait
Kuwait market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for KuwaitEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · KOC
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for KOC, Kuwait
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Enquiry · KOC
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for KOC?
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.