ONGC: geography and layout
Onshore, ONGC found oilfields in Sivasagar district of Assam in 1963 and established the Cambay basin in Gujarat as a new oil province, giving it long-standing operations in the north-east and the west.
ONGC · explosion proof
Explosion-Proof Smartphone for ONGC
ONGC is India's largest government-owned oil and gas explorer and producer, founded in 1956 and headquartered in New Delhi. ONGC owns and operates over 11,000 km of pipelines and around 230 drilling and workover rigs, so field crews, rig sites and pipeline stations are the main places where portable equipment is used. If you are specifying an explosion proof smartphone for ONGC, 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
WhereONGC
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for ONGC: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
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 · explosion proof
Checklist: explosion proof smartphone for ONGC
| 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 | ONGC: Offshore production platforms, Onshore oil and gas production facilities, Gas processing plants | Classified by the site operator |
Product · India
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 India. 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 · ONGC
Working with Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC): 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
- Hazira gas processing plant
- Uran gas processing plant
- Mumbai High offshore field
- Assam onshore fields
Classified areas
- Offshore production platforms
- Onshore oil and gas production facilities
- Gas processing plants
Supplier approval · ONGC
Supplier registration at ONGC
ONGC buyers register through its e-tender portal (user ID obtained via the new-bidder access authorisation link), and bidders need a digital signature certificate; confirm current rules with ONGC. 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 · ONGC
More about ONGC that matters for portable equipment
ONGC: background
ONGC went offshore in the early 1970s and discovered the Bombay High field, now called Mumbai High, which, with later western offshore finds, changed India's oil supply position.
ONGC: projects and investment
In May 2023 ONGC said it would start oil production in the Krishna Godavari Basin by June, adding new deepwater activity on India's east coast.
ONGC: who works there
In January 2018 ONGC completed the acquisition of a 51.11% stake in Hindustan Petroleum Corporation, so refining and fuel distribution sites are now linked to the ONGC group.
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 ONGC. On ONGC platforms and onshore fields people say explosion-proof loosely, but the real protection concepts differ. Flameproof Ex d contains an internal ignition inside a strong housing, while intrinsic safety limits electrical energy so ignition cannot occur. A phone used on Mumbai High decks or in Cambay production areas is normally an intrinsic safety question, and the IS-04Z1 is designed around that concept.
The route · specification
Specifying an explosion proof smartphone for ONGC
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 · ONGC
Frequently asked questions
Can ONGC buy the IS-04Z1 today?
No. Nothing can be bought or taken into a classified area today: certification is in progress and launch is planned for Q4 2026. What is available now is the datasheet, the written certification schedule and evaluation units for safe-area use.
What does an explosion proof smartphone for ONGC 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 ONGC approve suppliers?
ONGC buyers register through its e-tender portal (user ID obtained via the new-bidder access authorisation link), and bidders need a digital signature certificate; confirm current rules with ONGC.
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.
How do monsoon and heat affect devices on Indian sites?
Western offshore and Gujarat sites are hot and humid, with a heavy monsoon season, while Assam is very humid and rainy. For handheld devices that means good sealing, corrosion resistance and thermal limits; ask the asset about its environmental requirements.
Where would intrinsically safe phones be used at ONGC?
Typical uses are offshore platforms off Mumbai, onshore well sites and group gathering stations in Assam and Gujarat, and the gas processing plants at Hazira and Uran. Classification is set per installation, so ask each asset's HSE team for area drawings and its rules on portable electronics.
Do I need to register with ONGC before offering a device?
ONGC buyers are reported to register through its e-tender portal, and bidders need a digital signature certificate. That process is separate from product certification. The IS-04Z1 has no certificate yet, so any approach should begin with the datasheet and a safe-area evaluation. Check current rules with ONGC procurement before bidding.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Other guides for ONGC, other places in India, and the pages behind them.
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Supplier for ONGCSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for ONGCSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone for ONGCSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone for ONGCSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for IOCLElsewhere in India
India market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for IndiaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · ONGC
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for ONGC, India
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 · ONGC
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for ONGC?
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.