Ownership
Shell sold the Bukom refinery and Jurong Island chemical units to CAPGC, a Chandra Asri and Glencore joint venture, on 1 April 2025; the site now trades under the Aster name.
Pulau Bukom Refinery · IECEx
IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in Pulau Bukom Refinery
Pulau Bukom is a restricted-access island about 5 km south of mainland Singapore, home to a 237,000 barrel-per-day refinery and an ethylene cracker. Since April 2025 the complex has been owned by CAPGC and operated as the Aster Energy and Chemicals Park, so process units create Zone 1 areas. Distribution partners for Pulau Bukom 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 topicIECEx
DeviceMobile Phone
RouteDistribution
WherePulau Bukom Refinery
Short answer. Pulau Bukom 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.
Status: pre-launch. IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress and no certificate has been issued; launch is planned for Q4 2026. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · IECEx
Checklist: IECEx mobile phone for Pulau Bukom
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of conformity | Number checkable on the IECEx online register | In progress; not issued |
| Standards edition | The IEC 60079 edition the certificate cites | Stated on the certificate when issued |
| Schedule of conditions | Limits of use, batteries and accessories | Published with the certificate |
| Where it applies | Pulau Bukom: Crude and product tank farms, Jetties, Refinery process units | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Pulau Bukom Refinery
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 Pulau Bukom Refinery. 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 · Pulau Bukom
Pulau Bukom: where the IS-04Z1 would work
Who operates there and which kinds of classified area a handset would meet, from the SAMS site research.
Operators and companies on site
- Aster Chemicals and Energy (CAPGC)
Classified areas to expect
- Refinery process units
- Ethylene cracker
- Crude and product tank farms
- Jetties
Local conditions · Pulau Bukom
Conditions in Pulau Bukom that affect handheld equipment
Island access
Access is restricted to personnel with security passes, and staff travel by ferry, so equipment is usually checked before the crossing.
Field notes · Pulau Bukom
More about Pulau Bukom that matters for portable equipment
Pulau Bukom: infrastructure
The Bukom and Jurong Island sites are joined by a 5 km subsea pipeline, which carries product between islands and reduces ship-to-shore transfers.
Pulau Bukom: background
Pulau Bukom has been the site of Singapore's first oil refinery since 1961, and the island has hosted refining, trading and related services for more than six decades.
Pulau Bukom: who works there
The Shell stake in the park was acquired in April 2025 by CAPGC, a joint venture between a Chandra Asri subsidiary and a Glencore subsidiary, and the site was renamed Aster Energy and Chemicals Park.
Pulau Bukom: who works there
Aster Bukom concentrates on refining and ethylene production, while Aster's Jurong Island complex makes chemicals, so the two sites act as one integrated operation.
The term · IECEx
What “IECEx” means for a smartphone
IECEx is the international scheme for certifying equipment used in explosive atmospheres. A certificate of conformity is issued by an accredited certification body against a specific edition of the IEC 60079 standards and carries a schedule of conditions of safe use. It is not a legal requirement in most countries on its own, but many national schemes accept it as the technical basis.
The IECEx certificate for the IS-04Z1 is in progress and has not been issued. The marking target is Ex ib IIC T4, the intrinsic safety concept for Zone 1 gas with the hardest gas group (IIC) and a 135 °C temperature class.
In Pulau Bukom. Bukom is now run as an integrated energy and chemicals park, so international EPCs and visiting contractors may bring their own equipment rules. The IECEx route is meant to give them one certificate of conformity and a schedule of conditions to read. For the IS-04Z1 both documents are still pending, and no issue date exists.
The route · distribution
Distributing the IS-04Z1 in Pulau Bukom Refinery
A distributor for Pulau Bukom 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.
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 Pulau Bukom.
- 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 · Pulau Bukom Refinery
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an IECEx mobile phone in Pulau Bukom Refinery 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 an IECEx mobile phone in Pulau Bukom Refinery cost?
SAMS has not published a price. Any figure you are offered for an uncertified Ex phone should be treated with caution; written indicative pricing is available for a defined quantity and site.
Does the IS-04Z1 hold an IECEx certificate?
No. The IECEx certificate is in progress and has not been issued. SAMS will publish the number when it exists.
Which areas at Pulau Bukom would use it?
Likely candidates are refinery process units, ethylene cracker, crude and product tank farms, jetties. Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
How do I become a SAMS distributor for Pulau Bukom?
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 Pulau Bukom.
Who operates the Pulau Bukom complex now?
The complex is operated as Aster Bukom, part of Aster Chemicals and Energy, which was acquired in April 2025 through CAPGC, a joint venture between a Chandra Asri subsidiary and a Glencore subsidiary. Use the Aster name when asking about supplier registration.
How do people and equipment reach an island refinery?
Bukom is an island, so access is typically arranged through the operator, with pass checks before travel. Equipment usually has to be declared and approved in advance, so plan lead time for inspection and any device certification review.
Who decides whether a phone is acceptable inside Bukom's process units?
The operator, now the Aster site owner, sets contractor and equipment approvals and classifies its own areas. SAMS cannot approve a device for a site. Share the IS-04Z1 datasheet and marking target with its procurement and HSE teams, and note that certification is still in progress.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for Pulau Bukom Refinery and for Singapore.
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone Distributor in Pulau Bukom RefinerySame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone in Pulau Bukom RefinerySame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in Pulau Bukom RefinerySame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone in Pulau Bukom RefinerySame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone in Pulau Bukom RefinerySame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone in Pulau Bukom RefinerySame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in Senoko Industrial ZoneElsewhere in Singapore
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in Keppel ShipyardElsewhere in Singapore
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in Tuas Industrial ZoneElsewhere in Singapore
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in Singapore LNGElsewhere in Singapore
Singapore market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for SingaporeEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Pulau Bukom
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Pulau Bukom, Singapore
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Enquiry · Pulau Bukom
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Pulau Bukom Refinery?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.