CNRL: background
Founded in 1973 as AEX Minerals Corporation and renamed in 1975, it grew through acquisitions of Canadian assets, including Anadarko's Canadian operations in 2006 and Devon's conventional assets in 2014.
CNRL · IECEx
IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for CNRL
CNRL is a Calgary-based oil and gas producer, founded in 1973, and is Canada's largest heavy crude oil producer. It operates the Horizon oil sands mining and upgrading project about 75 km north of Fort McMurray, Alberta, and the Athabasca Oil Sands Project acquired in 2017. This page sets out how an IECEx mobile phone supply route to CNRL will work for the IS-04Z1, and what is and is not available before launch.
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
RouteSupply
WhereCNRL
Short answer. An IECEx mobile phone for CNRL cannot be bought yet: the SAMS IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued), and the datasheet, certification schedule and safe-area evaluation units are available now.
Current position: certification in progress, nothing issued, launch targeted 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 CNRL
| 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 | CNRL: Oil sands mining and upgrading units, Oil and gas production facilities, Gas processing | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Canada
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 Canada. 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 organisation · CNRL
Working with Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNRL): sites and classified areas
The main sites and the hazardous-area types a portable device is likely to meet at this organisation.
Sites and areas
- Horizon oil sands (north of Fort McMurray)
- Athabasca Oil Sands Project
- Alberta heavy oil and gas operations
Classified areas
- Oil sands mining and upgrading units
- Oil and gas production facilities
- Gas processing
Supplier approval · CNRL
Supplier registration at CNRL
CNRL uses ISNetworld (ISN) for health, safety and environment qualification; businesses register through the prospective suppliers page, and all contractors must ultimately qualify with ISN to work for CNRL. The Ex certificate and an organisation's own vendor or engineering approval are two separate timelines; SAMS is working towards both and holds neither today.
Field notes · CNRL
More about CNRL that matters for portable equipment
CNRL: climate and equipment wear
Operations in northern Alberta and Saskatchewan sit in a continental climate, so cold-weather performance of batteries and screens matters; this is general regional knowledge rather than a company statement.
CNRL: industry on the ground
Canadian Natural is described as the largest producer of heavy crude oil in Canada and the largest independent natural gas producer in Western Canada, so both heavy-oil and gas sites are common.
CNRL: industry on the ground
In 2018 synthetic crude from northern Alberta oil sands mining made up 39% of production, natural gas 24%, light and medium crude and liquids 13%, and Pelican Lake heavy crude 6%.
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 CNRL. CNRL's oil sands projects use contractors and EPCs from North America and abroad, some of whom carry equipment assessed under the IECEx scheme. A certificate of conformity with its schedule of conditions gives them a common document to discuss with CNRL reviewers. The IS-04Z1 is designed towards IECEx, still in progress.
The route · supply
Sourcing the IS-04Z1 for CNRL
Nothing can be bought for CNRL today: the IS-04Z1 is pre-launch, and SAMS will supply end users through authorised distributors once certificates exist. What a buyer can do now is take the specification, ask for the written certification schedule and arrange a safe-area evaluation, so that the right local channel contacts you at launch.
- 01
Request the datasheet
The technical specification, marking target and conditions of use, sent by email.
- 02
Ask for the certification schedule
Which certificates are in progress, in what order, and what is still to be confirmed.
- 03
Evaluate in a safe area
Evaluation units can be used for connectivity, MDM enrolment and workflow testing outside classified areas.
- 04
Register for launch
Tell us the site, zone, gas group and quantity so the right authorised distributor can contact you.
Questions · CNRL
Frequently asked questions
Can CNRL buy the IS-04Z1 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 an IECEx mobile phone for CNRL 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.
How does CNRL approve suppliers?
CNRL uses ISNetworld (ISN) for health, safety and environment qualification; businesses register through the prospective suppliers page, and all contractors must ultimately qualify with ISN to work for CNRL.
How will SAMS supply CNRL?
Through authorised distributors once certificates exist. Until then SAMS can send the datasheet and certification schedule and arrange safe-area evaluation units.
How cold do oil sands sites get and does it affect phone use?
Winters in northern Alberta can be severe, with long periods well below freezing, which reduces battery capacity and can affect screens and gloves-on use. Check the device's rated operating temperature and ask the site about its cold-weather work rules.
Are Horizon and the Athabasca project different sites for equipment approval?
They are separate large mining and upgrading operations with their own contractors, inductions and permit systems. A device approved at one site is not automatically accepted at another, so confirm each site's requirements with its safety and electrical teams.
Does Alberta winter cold matter for a handset at Horizon?
Yes. Low temperatures reduce battery capacity and make touchscreens harder to use with gloves. Check the device's stated operating temperature range against site conditions, and keep spares warm in a safe area. IP68 helps against snow melt and dust but is not explosion protection. Confirm with the operator.
Related guides
Keep exploring
More on CNRL, and on other places in Canada.
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier for CNRLSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone for CNRLSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone for CNRLSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone for CNRLSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for SuncorElsewhere in Canada
Canada market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for CanadaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · CNRL
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for CNRL, 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.
Enquiry · CNRL
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for CNRL?
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.