OQ: industry on the ground
As of June 2023 OQ was producing more than 246,000 barrels of oil a day from its upstream interests, in addition to its downstream plants.
OQ · explosion proof
Explosion-Proof Smartphone Supplier for OQ
The Sohar Refinery Improvement Project began construction in 2014, and the 2018 programme also included groundwork for the Salalah LPG and Salalah Ammonia projects. Its refining arm, OQ Refineries and Petroleum Industries, runs the Sohar and Mina Al Fahal refineries, and OQ is a partner in the Duqm refinery joint venture (OQ8). This page sets out how an explosion proof smartphone supply route to OQ will work for the IS-04Z1, and what is and is not available before launch.
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
RouteSupply
WhereOQ
Short answer. An explosion proof smartphone for OQ cannot be bought yet: the SAMS IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued), and the datasheet, certification schedule and safe-area evaluation units are available now.
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. A buyer's engineering review is separate from the certificate. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · explosion proof
Checklist: explosion proof smartphone for OQ
| 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 | OQ: Refinery process units, Petrochemical plants, Fuel and crude storage terminals | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Oman
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 Oman. 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 · OQ
OQ Group: 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
- Sohar
- Mina Al Fahal (Muscat)
- Duqm (OQ8 joint venture with Kuwait Petroleum International)
Classified areas
- Refinery process units
- Petrochemical plants
- Fuel and crude storage terminals
Supplier approval · OQ
Becoming an approved supplier to OQ
OQ reports more than 13,000 registered vendors and suppliers and has a Vendors page on its website; confirm current registration and equipment approval 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 · OQ
More about OQ that matters for portable equipment
OQ: who works there
Oman Refineries and Petrochemicals Company was created in 2007 by merging Oman Refinery Company with Sohar Refinery Company, bringing the Mina Al Fahal and Sohar refineries under one operator.
OQ: background
OQ traces back to Oman Refinery Company (1982) and Oman Oil Company (1996), and took its present form in 2019 when Oman Oil Company merged with the refining and petrochemical company Orpic.
OQ: projects and investment
OQ held a 40 per cent share in the Khazzan gas field until 2018, when it sold 10 per cent of that stake to Petronas, and it also signed concessions with Occidental that year.
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 OQ. At Sohar, Mina Al Fahal and Salalah explosion-proof is everyday shorthand for different concepts. Flameproof Ex d protects fixed motors and enclosures, while intrinsic safety suits handheld phones. LPG extraction and storage bring a flammable gas hazard, so a portable device around those areas is judged on intrinsic safety, which the IS-04Z1 is designed around.
The route · supply
Sourcing the IS-04Z1 for OQ
Supply of the IS-04Z1 to OQ starts only after certification, through authorised distributors. Until then a buyer can request the datasheet and the written certification schedule, and arrange a safe-area evaluation unit, which puts the site on the list for the right local channel at launch.
- 01
Request the datasheet
The technical specification, marking target and conditions of use, sent by email.
- 02
Ask for the certification schedule
Which certificates are in progress, in what order, and what is still to be confirmed.
- 03
Evaluate in a safe area
Evaluation units can be used for connectivity, MDM enrolment and workflow testing outside classified areas.
- 04
Register for launch
Tell us the site, zone, gas group and quantity so the right authorised distributor can contact you.
Questions · OQ
Frequently asked questions
Can OQ 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 OQ cost?
SAMS has not published a price. Any figure you are offered for an uncertified Ex phone should be treated with caution; written indicative pricing is available for a defined 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 OQ approve suppliers?
OQ reports more than 13,000 registered vendors and suppliers and has a Vendors page on its website; confirm current registration and equipment approval requirements with its procurement and HSE teams.
How will SAMS supply OQ?
Through authorised distributors once certificates exist. Until then SAMS can send the datasheet and certification schedule and arrange safe-area evaluation units.
What should I check for devices used at coastal Omani terminals?
Coastal terminals such as Ras Markaz combine heat, salt-laden air and dust, so check the ingress protection rating, corrosion resistance of the enclosure and the operating temperature range, in addition to the gas group and temperature class. Confirm any marine or terminal-specific requirements with the terminal operator.
Does OQ run one procurement route for all of its companies?
OQ is a group with several operating companies, joint ventures and terminals, and each can apply its own site rules. Check with the procurement and HSE team of the specific OQ company, such as the refining or terminal business, for current supplier registration and equipment approval steps.
Does Oman's climate affect a handset used at LPG storage?
Summer heat, humidity and dust are routine, and Salalah has a monsoon season. IP68 sealing helps with dust and water but is not explosion protection. Check the datasheet temperature range, test battery life locally, and ask OQ's HSE team how portable devices are charged and kept near LPG areas.
Related guides
Keep exploring
More on OQ, and on other places in Oman.
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Supplier for OQSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for OQSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone for OQSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier for OQSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for PDOElsewhere in Oman
Oman market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for OmanEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · OQ
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for OQ, Oman
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Enquiry · OQ
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for OQ?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.