Operators
Operators listed for the Bakken include Continental Resources, Chord Energy, EOG Resources and Hess. Chevron completed its purchase of Hess on 18 July 2025.
North Dakota Bakken · explosion proof
Explosion-Proof Smartphone in North Dakota Bakken
The Bakken is a shale oil formation in the Williston Basin of western North Dakota, centred on towns such as Williston and Watford City. Bakken oil began flowing in the 1950s at Antelope Field, but large-scale growth only followed the discovery of the Parshall Field in 2007. This page explains what to look for in an explosion proof smartphone for Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin), 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
WhereNorth Dakota Bakken
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin): 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 Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin)
| 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 | Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin): Drilling rigs, Wellsites and tank batteries, Gas gathering and processing | Classified by the site operator |
Product · North Dakota Bakken
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 North Dakota Bakken. 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 site · Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin)
Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin) at a glance: who is there, what is classified
A short profile of the site and the kinds of classified area that matter for portable equipment.
Operators and companies on site
- Continental Resources
- Chord Energy
- Chevron (via Hess)
- EOG Resources
Classified areas to expect
- Drilling rigs
- Wellsites and tank batteries
- Gas gathering and processing
- Crude loading facilities
Local conditions · Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin)
What Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin) means for portable equipment
Environment
The setting is remote, with cold winters. Low-temperature performance and battery life are practical concerns for portable equipment.
Field notes · Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin)
More about Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin) that matters for portable equipment
Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin): geography and layout
The Bakken is relatively thin, no more than 250 feet, with low permeability, so better knowledge of where the resource lies has translated directly into higher output.
Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin): people and language
Williston, founded in 1887, had 29,160 residents in 2020, its population nearly doubling between 2010 and 2020 because of the oil boom.
Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin): climate and equipment wear
Williston has a cold semi-arid climate with a January mean near 11.5 degrees Fahrenheit, about 39 days a year with lows of zero or below, and extremes from minus 50 to 110 degrees.
Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin): industry on the ground
North Dakota crude oil production passed 1.0 million barrels a day, driven by the Bakken and Three Forks formations of the Williston Basin in North Dakota and eastern Montana.
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 Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin). On the Bakken, explosion-proof is the field shorthand for gear around rigs, wellsites, tank batteries and gas gathering. The protection concepts are different: flameproof Ex d contains an explosion, intrinsic safety prevents one. The IS-04Z1 is designed for intrinsic safety, with an Ex ib marking as the target.
The route · specification
Specifying an explosion proof smartphone for North Dakota Bakken
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 · North Dakota Bakken
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an explosion proof smartphone in North Dakota Bakken 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 in North Dakota Bakken 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.
Which areas at Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin) would use it?
Likely candidates are drilling rigs, wellsites and tank batteries, gas gathering and processing, crude loading facilities. Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
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.
What equipment issues are specific to oil production wellpads?
Wellpads and associated tank and compressor areas can contain flammable gas and vapour, and the operator defines classified areas and approvals. Always ask for the site's area classification and equipment policy before entering.
How cold does it get for Bakken fieldwork, and what does that mean for handsets?
Williston records a January mean around 11.5 degrees Fahrenheit and several days a year at minus 20 or lower. Check a handset's low-temperature operating range and battery performance in the cold, and keep spare batteries warm inside clothing.
How does North Dakota winter affect a handheld in the field?
The Bakken is remote with cold winters, so low-temperature performance and battery life are practical concerns for portable equipment. Check the datasheet's operating range once published, keep spare charged devices in a safe, warm area, and trial the phone in your own conditions. Confirm limits with the site operator.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for North Dakota Bakken and for United States.
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone in North Dakota BakkenSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone in North Dakota BakkenSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in North Dakota BakkenSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone Distributor in North Dakota BakkenSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone in North Dakota BakkenSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone in North Dakota BakkenSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in Texas Oil FieldsElsewhere in United States
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in HoustonElsewhere in United States
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in Permian BasinElsewhere in United States
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in US Shale Oil OperationsElsewhere in United States
United States market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for United StatesEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin)
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin), United States
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 · Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin)
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for North Dakota Bakken?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.