Operators
Operators listed for the Bakken include Continental Resources, Chord Energy, EOG Resources and Hess. Chevron completed its purchase of Hess on 18 July 2025.
North Dakota Bakken · hazardous area
Hazardous Area Smartphone in North Dakota Bakken
The Bakken is a shale oil formation in the Williston Basin of western North Dakota, centred on towns such as Williston and Watford City. Williston has a cold semi-arid climate with a January mean near 11.5 degrees Fahrenheit, about 39 days a year with lows of zero or below, and extremes from minus 50 to 110 degrees. This page explains what to look for in a hazardous area smartphone for Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin), and where the IS-04Z1 stands against that list today.
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
RouteSpecification
WhereNorth Dakota Bakken
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin): pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
Where things stand: the IS-04Z1 has not launched, and none of its four certification routes has produced a certificate yet. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · hazardous area
Checklist: hazardous area smartphone for Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin)
| 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 | Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin): Drilling rigs, Wellsites and tank batteries, Gas gathering and processing | Classified by the site operator |
Product · North Dakota Bakken
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 North Dakota Bakken. 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 site · Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin)
Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin) at a glance: who is there, what is classified
A short profile of the site and the kinds of classified area that matter for portable equipment.
Operators and companies on site
- Continental Resources
- Chord Energy
- Chevron (via Hess)
- EOG Resources
Classified areas to expect
- Drilling rigs
- Wellsites and tank batteries
- Gas gathering and processing
- Crude loading facilities
Local conditions · Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin)
Conditions in Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin) that affect handheld equipment
Environment
The setting is remote, with cold winters. Low-temperature performance and battery life are practical concerns for portable equipment.
Field notes · Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin)
More about Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin) that matters for portable equipment
Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin): geography and layout
The Bakken is relatively thin, no more than 250 feet, with low permeability, so better knowledge of where the resource lies has translated directly into higher output.
Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin): people and language
Williston, founded in 1887, had 29,160 residents in 2020, its population nearly doubling between 2010 and 2020 because of the oil boom.
Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin): industry on the ground
North Dakota crude oil production passed 1.0 million barrels a day, driven by the Bakken and Three Forks formations of the Williston Basin in North Dakota and eastern Montana.
Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin): logistics and access
Williston Basin International Airport opened in 2019 and Amtrak's Empire Builder stops once daily in each direction, while the area has no fixed-route bus service.
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 Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin). Zone 1 work in the Bakken arises at drilling rigs, wellsites, tank batteries and gas gathering and processing, plus crude loading facilities. The operator classifies these areas, and the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources oversees oil and gas activity. SAMS does not classify anything and takes no regulatory role.
The route · specification
Specifying a hazardous area smartphone for North Dakota Bakken
A short checklist for anyone writing or reviewing the specification, with the IS-04Z1 status against each point.
Check on the paper
- Marking
- Equipment group, category, protection concept, gas group and temperature class, matched to the area drawing.
- Certificate and schedule
- A certificate number, issuing body and the schedule of conditions, not a brochure claim.
- Standards edition
- The IEC 60079 or national standard edition the certificate was issued against.
Check for the IS-04Z1
- Marking target
- II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4: a target, not yet a certificate.
- Certificate status
- IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 in progress; none issued.
- Operator approval
- Separate from the certificate and handled with the site operator.
Questions · North Dakota Bakken
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy a hazardous area smartphone in North Dakota Bakken today?
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.
What does a hazardous area smartphone in North Dakota Bakken cost?
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.
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 areas at Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin) would use it?
Likely candidates are drilling rigs, wellsites and tank batteries, gas gathering and processing, crude loading facilities. Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
Is intrinsically safe the same as explosion proof?
Not exactly. Explosion proof is a broad everyday term; intrinsic safety is one protection concept, which limits energy so ignition cannot occur. Flameproof (Ex d) is a different concept that contains an explosion. The IS-04Z1 is intrinsically safe by design.
What equipment issues are specific to oil production wellpads?
Wellpads and associated tank and compressor areas can contain flammable gas and vapour, and the operator defines classified areas and approvals. Always ask for the site's area classification and equipment policy before entering.
How cold does it get for Bakken fieldwork, and what does that mean for handsets?
Williston records a January mean around 11.5 degrees Fahrenheit and several days a year at minus 20 or lower. Check a handset's low-temperature operating range and battery performance in the cold, and keep spare batteries warm inside clothing.
How does North Dakota winter affect a handheld in the field?
The Bakken is remote with cold winters, so low-temperature performance and battery life are practical concerns for portable equipment. Check the datasheet's operating range once published, keep spare charged devices in a safe, warm area, and trial the phone in your own conditions. Confirm limits with the site operator.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for North Dakota Bakken and for United States.
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Rugged Mobile Phone in North Dakota BakkenSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone in North Dakota BakkenSame place, different guide
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Enquiry · Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin)
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin), United States
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Enquiry · Bakken, North Dakota (Williston Basin)
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for North Dakota Bakken?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.