Climate
A subtropical, humid climate with the highest annual rainfall of the lower 48 states. Most refineries are in the south of the state and are exposed to storms.
Other large refineries include Citgo at Lake Charles, Phillips 66 at Westlake, Shell at Norco with about 231,000 barrels a day, and Valero at Norco and Meraux. Zone 1 and Zone 21 areas arise at refinery units, petrochemical plants, LNG trains and storage across the state. A hazardous area mobile phone distributor in Louisiana would carry the IS-04Z1 to these buyers once certification completes.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Short answer. Louisiana 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Louisiana: LNG liquefaction and loading, Tank farms and terminals, Refinery process units | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Louisiana. 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.
A subtropical, humid climate with the highest annual rainfall of the lower 48 states. Most refineries are in the south of the state and are exposed to storms.
The 15 refineries can process almost 3 million barrels of crude a day, and three of them rank among the ten largest in the United States, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
The state sits at the junction of the Mississippi River system and the Gulf of Mexico, with the Gulf no more than about 200 miles from any point.
Louisiana has 14 operable refineries with about 3.0 million barrels a day of crude capacity, around 17 percent of the US total and second only to Texas.
The Mississippi River runs about 600 miles through the state to the Gulf, and the low alluvial coastal region of swamp, marsh and barrier islands covers around 12,350 square miles.
Chemical products and petroleum and coal products are among the main contributors to Louisiana's gross state product, alongside food, transport equipment and paper.
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 Louisiana. Classified areas in Louisiana include refinery process units, petrochemical plants, LNG liquefaction and loading, and tank farms and terminals. Each operator, such as Cheniere, Sempra or Phillips 66, classifies its own areas. SAMS does not classify anything; it can only describe the marking and limits of its product.
A distributor for Louisiana would carry the IS-04Z1 after certification completes; the Q4 2026 launch is the planning date and no appointment has been made. SAMS reviews applicants one by one and prefers companies with their own Ex-competent technical and service staff, since certified devices must not be repaired outside approved channels.
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 refinery process units, petrochemical plants, lng liquefaction and loading, tank farms and terminals. 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 Louisiana.
Yes, Louisiana's political subdivisions are called parishes, so local permits, emergency planning and site addresses are organised by parish. This matters when preparing paperwork for a plant in, for example, St. Charles or Calcasieu Parish.
Southern Louisiana has long hot summers with nights above 70 degrees Fahrenheit and frequent downpours, so look for sealed, water-resistant devices with an operating range that covers summer plant temperatures. Check the datasheet figures instead of relying on general claims.
Louisiana is humid and has very high rainfall, with storm exposure in the south. IP68 helps against water ingress, but connectors and chargers still need to be kept clean and dry, and charging belongs in safe areas. Ask each site about storm shutdown procedures for portable equipment.
More on Louisiana, and on other places in United States.
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.