Saudi Aramco: who works there
Aramco's joint ventures and affiliates include SATORP, Petro Rabigh, Yasref, SASREF and Luberef, and it holds a 70 per cent share of SABIC, so refining and chemicals sit beside upstream work.
Saudi Aramco · explosion proof
Explosion-Proof Smartphone for Saudi Aramco
Saudi Aramco is the Saudi state-controlled energy company, operating onshore and offshore oil and gas fields, gas systems, refining and chemicals. Aramco operates the Master Gas System, described as the world's largest single hydrocarbon network, built from the 1975 Master Gas Plan to use associated gas for power instead of flaring it. This page explains what to look for in an explosion proof smartphone for Saudi Aramco, and where the IS-04Z1 stands against that list today.
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
WhereSaudi Aramco
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Saudi Aramco: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
Current position: certification in progress, nothing issued, launch targeted for Q4 2026. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · explosion proof
Checklist: explosion proof smartphone for Saudi Aramco
| 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 | Saudi Aramco: Offshore platforms, Export terminals, Oil and gas fields | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Saudi Arabia
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 Saudi Arabia. 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 · Saudi Aramco
Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco): operations and where an Ex phone fits
A short profile of its operations and the kinds of classified area that matter for portable equipment.
Sites and areas
- Abqaiq
- Ras Tanura
- Jubail
- Yanbu
Classified areas
- Offshore platforms
- Export terminals
- Oil and gas fields
- Gas processing
Supplier approval · Saudi Aramco
How suppliers reach Saudi Aramco
Aramco requires suppliers to register through its e-Marketplace Platform, handled by its Dhahran office for Saudi-based and many regional suppliers; registration and qualification do not guarantee business. 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 · Saudi Aramco
More about Saudi Aramco that matters for portable equipment
Saudi Aramco: background
Dammam No. 7 struck oil in 1938 and became the first commercial oil well in Saudi Arabia, starting the development of the Eastern Province fields that Aramco still runs.
Saudi Aramco: who works there
The Saudi government took a one-quarter share of Aramco's assets in 1973, raised it to sixty per cent in 1974, and the company was fully managed by the Kingdom from 1988 onward.
Saudi Aramco: industry on the ground
Aramco manages more than one hundred oil and gas fields in Saudi Arabia, including the Ghawar field in the Eastern Province, and had gas reserves of 288.4 trillion standard cubic feet.
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 Saudi Aramco. On oil and gas fields, offshore platforms and export terminals, explosion-proof is everyday shorthand for several concepts. Flameproof Ex d is for fixed equipment, while intrinsic safety suits handhelds. A phone relies on intrinsic safety, with a target marking of II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4, subject to certification.
The route · specification
Specifying an explosion proof smartphone for Saudi Aramco
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 · Saudi Aramco
Frequently asked questions
Can Saudi Aramco buy the IS-04Z1 today?
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.
What does an explosion proof smartphone for Saudi Aramco cost?
There is no list price yet. SAMS gives indicative pre-launch pricing in writing, against a stated quantity and site, and does not commit to a lead time before certification completes.
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 Saudi Aramco approve suppliers?
Aramco requires suppliers to register through its e-Marketplace Platform, handled by its Dhahran office for Saudi-based and many regional suppliers; registration and qualification do not guarantee business.
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 Aramco joint ventures such as SATORP or Petro Rabigh differ?
These ventures are run as separate companies with their own site HSE rules and supplier lists, although they often follow Aramco-derived specifications. Confirm with the specific joint venture's procurement and HSE teams, because approval at Aramco does not automatically give access to its affiliates.
Which Aramco locations typically involve Zone 1 areas?
Typically wellsites, gas-oil separation plants, gas processing plants, refineries, tank farms and loading terminals, and offshore platforms. Aramco classifies every facility under its own engineering standards, so request the hazardous-area drawing and the gas group and temperature class before choosing a phone or tablet.
Could the phone be used on offshore platforms such as Safaniya?
Only if the final certificate, gas group and temperature class suit the platform area and the operator permits it. The IS-04Z1 is designed for intrinsically safe handheld use with IP68 protection, but no certificate has been issued. Offshore connectivity and charging need planning too.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for Saudi Aramco and for Saudi Arabia.
IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for Saudi AramcoSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone for Saudi AramcoSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for Saudi AramcoSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone for Saudi AramcoSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for SABICElsewhere in Saudi Arabia
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for Ma'adenElsewhere in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for Saudi ArabiaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Saudi Aramco
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia
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 · Saudi Aramco
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Saudi Aramco?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.