Permits
Access to oilfield sites is normally by operator-issued permit, so plan visits and deliveries ahead.
Kirkuk is the centre of northern Iraq's oil industry; the Baba Gurgur discovery in 1927 launched exports from the Kirkuk field. Kirkuk field was discovered at Baba Gurgur in 1927 and brought into production in 1934 when export pipelines were completed, and it has remained the most important part of northern Iraq's output. If you are specifying an explosion proof smartphone for Kirkuk, 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 Kirkuk: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
Where things stand: the IS-04Z1 has not launched, and none of its four certification routes has produced a certificate yet. A buyer's engineering review is separate from the certificate. 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 | Kirkuk: Wellheads and gathering stations, Gas processing, Crude pumping and pipeline facilities | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Kirkuk. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
A short profile of the site and the kinds of classified area that matter for portable equipment.
Access to oilfield sites is normally by operator-issued permit, so plan visits and deliveries ahead.
Summers are extremely hot and dry, with record highs above 50 C, and winters are mild with moderate rain.
Summers from May to October are very hot and dry with temperatures above 46 degrees Celsius, and dry dusty winds are common.
Telecom equipment sold in Iraq needs Communications and Media Commission type approval, with certificates valid for one year and a local partner involved.
The field had over 10 billion barrels of proven remaining reserves in 1998, so it is a mature, large-scale operation with legacy infrastructure.
The Kirkuk-Ceyhan crude pipeline runs about 970 km to the Turkish coast with two lines of 46 and 40 inches and a combined design capacity of 1.5 million barrels a day, making it Iraq's largest export line.
“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 Kirkuk. In the Kirkuk fields, explosion-proof is the common shorthand at wellheads, gathering stations and gas processing. Heavy fixed equipment may be flameproof Ex d, whereas a phone taken on well work and maintenance rounds relies on intrinsic safety. The IS-04Z1 is designed around intrinsic safety, not around a flameproof housing.
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.
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.
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.
Likely candidates are wellheads and gathering stations, gas processing, crude pumping and pipeline facilities. Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
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.
The North Oil Company and any partner operators run site permits and supplier checks. Ask your sponsor for the current procedure and for the equipment approval list.
Older plants may have mixed equipment and documentation, so confirm the actual area classification and gas group before taking devices on site. The operator can supply current drawings.
Access to oilfield sites is normally by operator-issued permit, so visits and deliveries need advance planning. Agree the permit route with the operator or its contractor before shipping, and allow time for formal tender and approval steps. Confirm the process with the site operator.
Other guides for Kirkuk, other places in Iraq, 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.
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.