Logistics
Hofuf is served by an airport, rail station and highways to Riyadh and Dammam.
Ghawar was discovered in 1948 and put on stream in 1951; it is entirely owned and operated by Saudi Aramco, so one operator's rules cover the oil-field work. The Ghawar oil field, the world's largest conventional field, lies within it and is operated by Aramco, creating Zone 1 areas at wells and gas handling facilities. A hazardous area mobile phone distributor in Al-Ahsa (Hofuf) would carry the IS-04Z1 to these buyers once certification completes.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Short answer. Al-Ahsa (Hofuf) has no appointed SAMS distributor yet: the IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued, launch planned for Q4 2026), and distributor applications are open.
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.
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Zone | 0, 1 or 2 for gas; 20, 21 or 22 for dust | Designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 |
| Gas group | IIA, IIB or IIC | IIC (target) |
| Area drawing | The operator's own classification drawing | Decided by the site operator |
| Where it applies | Al-Ahsa (Hofuf): Water injection facilities, Pipeline pump stations, Oil wellsites and gathering | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Al Ahsa. 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.
Hofuf is served by an airport, rail station and highways to Riyadh and Dammam.
Ghawar measures about 280 by 30 km and is divided into zones including Ain Dar and Shedgum, Uthmaniyah, Hawiyah and Haradh, so sites are widely spread.
The Al-Ahsa oasis and Hofuf lie on the east flank of Ghawar, in the area of the 'Uthmaniyah production zone, so farmland and settlements sit close to oil and gas facilities.
Operators are reported to inject seawater into Ghawar at around 7 million barrels a day, in use since 1965, which means long water-injection pipelines and pumping plants.
Saudi Arabia's Communications, Space and Technology Commission issues radio type-approval certificates, renewed every two years, and accepts European test documents for handsets.
Aramco's 2019 bond prospectus put Ghawar's maximum output at 3.8 million barrels a day, well below the older market estimate of more than 5 million.
A hazardous area is a place where flammable gas, vapour or combustible dust may be present. Standards divide these into zones: Zones 0, 1 and 2 for gas and vapour, and Zones 20, 21 and 22 for dust. Zone 1 and Zone 21 are the tier where an explosive atmosphere is likely to occur in normal operation, which is where the IS-04Z1 is designed to work. Anything carried in must be marked for the zone, gas group and temperature class of the area.
No certificate has been issued for the IS-04Z1 yet, so it must not be taken into a classified area until the certificate covering it exists and the site operator has accepted it.
In Al-Ahsa (Hofuf). Al Ahsa's classified areas include oil wellsites and gathering, associated gas handling, water injection facilities and pipeline pump stations. Aramco as operator does the classification, not SAMS. A buyer should obtain the area documents for the specific facility and match zone and gas group to the device marking.
SAMS is appointing authorised distributors ahead of the Q4 2026 launch. No territory has been granted for Al-Ahsa (Hofuf) yet and applications are reviewed company by company. Because a certified Ex device cannot be opened by an ordinary phone workshop without invalidating its certificate, SAMS looks for partners who can provide competent technical support and after-sales service locally.
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.
Zone 1 and Zone 21 (gas and dust) with gas group IIC and temperature class T4, subject to certification. It must not be used in a classified area before its certificate is issued and the site has accepted it.
Likely candidates are oil wellsites and gathering, associated gas handling, water injection facilities, pipeline pump stations. Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
Apply through the distributor page with your company details and the territory you cover. SAMS reviews applications company by company and has not yet granted a territory for Al-Ahsa (Hofuf).
Often yes. The Al-Ahsa oasis and Hofuf sit on the eastern flank of the Ghawar field, so wellsites, gas handling and pipelines can be near settlements and agricultural land. Follow the operator's access and gate procedures rather than assuming open public roads lead to sites.
Ghawar is divided into five production areas running north to south, and the governorate covers about 375,000 square km. Teams often travel long distances between sites, so plan device charging, spare batteries and offline documentation rather than relying on constant connectivity.
Ghawar is divided into several zones and sites are widely spread, so coverage and travel time vary. Ask the site operator about network coverage and whether devices need to work offline. Device management through EMM or MDM should be planned around that, and handsets are best charged at a safe base.
Related guides for Al Ahsa and for Saudi Arabia.
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.