Cold climate
Prairie winters are cold enough that battery performance and glove use are practical considerations.
The mayor has said that without the upgrader the city would be under 15,000 people; the 2021 census put it near 32,000 and the oilpatch drew many workers from Newfoundland. Cenovus operates a heavy oil upgrader and an asphalt refinery there, so process units and storage contain classified areas. Distribution partners for Lloydminster are being identified ahead of the Q4 2026 launch of the IS-04Z1.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Short answer. Lloydminster 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. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. 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 | Lloydminster: Thermal oil production facilities, Tank storage, Heavy oil upgrader | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Lloydminster. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
Who operates there and which kinds of classified area a handset would meet, from the SAMS site research.
Prairie winters are cold enough that battery performance and glove use are practical considerations.
The provincial boundary runs through the city, which is a single municipality, so work may fall under either province's rules.
The nearby Lloydminster Upgrader began as the Bi-Provincial Upgrader, with ownership shares held by Canada (31.7 percent), Alberta (24.2) and Saskatchewan (17.5), and is now operated by Cenovus.
The Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16) runs west to east through Lloydminster and Highway 17 follows the provincial border north to south; the city has its own airport but no local public transport service.
Lloydminster straddles the Alberta and Saskatchewan border along the Fourth Meridian (50th Avenue) and is known as the Heavy Oil Capital of Canada; the whole city uses Alberta Time.
The Cenovus Lloydminster Refinery (formerly Husky) processes 29,000 barrels per day and is Canada's largest asphalt supplier, producing about 30 grades of road asphalt at roughly 13,400 b/d.
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 Lloydminster. Classified areas include the heavy oil upgrader, the asphalt refinery, thermal oil production facilities and tank storage. Cenovus classifies them. Because the city straddles the Alberta-Saskatchewan border, work may fall under either province's rules, and SAMS does not classify areas, so ask the operator for its documents.
SAMS is appointing authorised distributors ahead of the Q4 2026 launch. No territory has been granted for Lloydminster 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 today. Until the certificates are issued the IS-04Z1 stays out of classified areas, and until launch there is nothing to purchase. You can ask for the datasheet and the certification schedule, or book a safe-area evaluation unit.
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.
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 heavy oil upgrader, asphalt refinery, thermal oil production facilities, tank storage. 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 Lloydminster.
Heavy oil wells and batteries, tank storage, the refinery with asphalt and distillate processing, and the upgrader are typical. Confirm classified areas for each facility with Cenovus or the relevant operator before bringing devices.
The city is split between two provinces, so provincial rules for occupational safety and permits can differ across the line. Confirm which jurisdiction applies at your worksite and what documentation is required.
Typical areas are the heavy oil upgrader, the asphalt refinery, thermal oil production facilities and tank storage. Each would have its own classification, set by the operator. A device would need to match the zone, gas group and temperature class. Request the area drawings from Cenovus before planning a trial.
Related guides for Lloydminster and for Canada.
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.