Saudi Arabia: logistics and access
Ras Tanura Port is described as the world's largest crude oil export terminal, handling about 20 percent of global oil exports and over 2,000 tankers a year.
Saudi Arabia · hazardous area
Hazardous Area Smartphone Distributor in Saudi Arabia
The IS-04Z1 is a Zone 1 and Zone 21 handset for people who work inside classified areas in the Kingdom: field operators, maintenance and inspection engineers, and the HSE and telecoms teams who equip them. Jubail Industrial City was designated in 1975 and is home to SABIC, while Jubail has a population of about 475,000 as of 2022. Distribution partners for Saudi Arabia are being identified ahead of the Q4 2026 launch of the IS-04Z1.
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 topichazardous area
DeviceSmartphone
RouteDistribution
WhereSaudi Arabia
Short answer. Saudi Arabia 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. An operator's own vendor approval is a separate step. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · hazardous area
Checklist: hazardous area smartphone for Saudi Arabia
| 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 | Saudi Arabia: Ghawar, Shaybah, Khurais | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Saudi Arabia
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 Saudi Arabia. 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 market · Saudi Arabia
Where this applies in Saudi Arabia
The classified areas, operators and sites below are the ones covered in the SAMS Saudi Arabia market guide.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- Saudi Aramco
- Upstream, gas processing, refining and export across the Kingdom
- SABIC
- Olefins, polymers and fertiliser production at Jubail and Yanbu
- SATORP
- Aramco and TotalEnergies refinery and petrochemical complex, Jubail
- YASREF
- Aramco and Sinopec full-conversion refinery at Yanbu
- Petro Rabigh
- Integrated refining and petrochemicals on the Red Sea coast
- Sadara Chemical
- Mixed-feed cracker and specialty chemicals at Jubail
Industrial areas and sites
- Abqaiq
- Crude stabilisation and processing, Eastern Province
- Ras Tanura
- Refinery, tank farm and crude export terminal
- Ghawar
- Onshore field with continuous well and flowline work
- Shaybah
- Remote field and NGL plant in the Empty Quarter
- Khurais
- Central processing facility and associated gas handling
- Fadhili
- Gas plant east of Jubail, expanding under EPC award
Field notes · Saudi Arabia
More about Saudi Arabia that matters for portable equipment
Saudi Arabia: background
Ras Tanura Refinery was established in 1939 and is the largest refinery in Saudi Arabia, run by Saudi Aramco.
Saudi Arabia: infrastructure
Jubail has the world's largest independent water and power project, producing about 2,744 megawatts of electricity and 800,000 cubic metres of water daily.
Saudi Arabia: infrastructure
The Ju'aymah Gas Plant at Ras Tanura is recognised as the world's largest natural gas liquids fractionation plant.
The term · hazardous area
What “hazardous area” means for a smartphone
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 Saudi Arabia. Classified areas in the Kingdom sit mostly in the Eastern Province, with a second cluster on the Red Sea coast at Yanbu and Rabigh. Classification of each area is carried out by the operator, such as Aramco or Ma'aden, to its own standards. SAMS does not classify any area and designs only for a stated one.
The route · distribution
Distributing the IS-04Z1 in Saudi Arabia
Distribution of the IS-04Z1 is by authorised partners only, and SAMS has not yet granted a territory for Saudi Arabia. Each application is reviewed on its merits. Because opening a certified Ex handset in an ordinary workshop invalidates its certificate, the partner must be able to support and service the device locally.
What SAMS looks for in a partner
- Operator relationships
- Existing supplier registrations or a clear route to them with the main operators and contractors in Saudi Arabia.
- Ex-competent staff
- People who understand zone classification, markings and the conditions of a certificate.
And equally important
- Local-language support
- Documentation, training and helpdesk in the languages the workforce uses.
- Service capability
- Spares, battery replacement and repair routed through SAMS-approved channels.
Questions · Saudi Arabia
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy a hazardous area smartphone in Saudi Arabia 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 a hazardous area smartphone in Saudi Arabia 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.
Which hazardous areas is the IS-04Z1 designed for?
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.
Which sites in Saudi Arabia does this cover?
The market guide for Saudi Arabia covers Abqaiq, Ras Tanura, Ghawar, Shaybah, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
How do I become a SAMS distributor for Saudi Arabia?
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 Saudi Arabia.
Who sets site equipment rules?
Saudi Aramco, SABIC and other large operators set their own supplier and equipment standards within national regulation, and the Royal Commission manages Jubail and Yanbu. Ask the end user for its approved-vendor requirements before shipping any device.
Where are Saudi Arabia's main industrial hazardous-area clusters?
Jubail and Ras Tanura on the Gulf coast, Yanbu on the Red Sea, and many Saudi Aramco fields and plants inland. Jubail and Yanbu are managed by the Royal Commission.
How would a handset last a shift at a remote Saudi field site?
The 4,000 mAh battery is specified for a full shift, because recharging inside a classified area is not possible and stores can be far away. Actual runtime depends on camera, torch and GNSS use, so test it on a real round during an evaluation.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for Saudi Arabia and for Saudi Arabia.
Rugged Mobile Phone in Saudi ArabiaSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone in Saudi ArabiaSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone Supplier in Saudi ArabiaSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier in Saudi ArabiaSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier in Saudi ArabiaSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone in Saudi ArabiaSame place, different guide
Saudi Arabia market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for Saudi ArabiaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Saudi Arabia
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Saudi Arabia
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 · Saudi Arabia
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Saudi Arabia?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.