KOC: industry on the ground
KOC holds the sole rights to explore for, produce and develop oil and gas inside Kuwait, so one operator sets site practice across all of its fields. It is a subsidiary of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation.
KOC · IECEx
IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for KOC
Kuwait Oil Company is a subsidiary of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) and holds the sole rights to explore for, produce and develop oil and gas in Kuwait. Its main fields include Burgan, Magwa, Ahmadi, Raudhatain, Sabriya and Minagish. This page sets out how an IECEx mobile phone supply route to KOC 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
WhereKOC
Short answer. An IECEx mobile phone for KOC 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. An operator's own vendor approval is a separate step. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · IECEx
Checklist: IECEx mobile phone for KOC
| 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 | KOC: Oil and gas production facilities, Wellheads and well pads, Gathering and processing facilities | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Kuwait
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 Kuwait. 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 · KOC
Working with Kuwait Oil Company: 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
- Burgan
- Magwa
- Ahmadi
- Raudhatain
Classified areas
- Oil and gas production facilities
- Wellheads and well pads
- Gathering and processing facilities
Supplier approval · KOC
Supplier registration at KOC
KOC runs an eBusiness portal that lists tenders and handles prequalification of contractors and manufacturers; advanced features are for registered business partners. Confirm current requirements with its procurement and HSE teams. 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 · KOC
More about KOC that matters for portable equipment
KOC: projects and investment
Kuwait's stated goal is to lift oil production capacity to 4 million barrels a day by 2040; output was roughly 2.4 million barrels a day in 2024 against sustainable capacity of about 2.9 million.
KOC: geography and layout
After Burgan, KOC's main fields were found at Magwa (1951), Ahmadi (1952), Raudhatain (1955), Sabriya (1957) and Minagish (1959). Its headquarters are in Al Ahmadi.
KOC: background
Kuwait Oil Company was set up on 23 December 1934 as a joint venture between the Anglo-Persian Oil Company and Gulf Oil. Drilling began in 1936, and the Burgan field first struck oil in 1938.
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 KOC. KOC works with international service companies and contractors who commonly hold IECEx paperwork. For them the evidence is a certificate of conformity and its schedule of conditions. IECEx is a target for the IS-04Z1 and remains in progress, so KOC reviewers should treat it as a planned route and not an approval already held.
The route · supply
Sourcing the IS-04Z1 for KOC
Supply of the IS-04Z1 to KOC starts only after certification, through authorised distributors. Until then a buyer can request the datasheet and the written certification schedule, and arrange a safe-area evaluation unit, which puts the site on the list for the right local channel 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 · KOC
Frequently asked questions
Can KOC 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 KOC 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.
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 KOC approve suppliers?
KOC runs an eBusiness portal that lists tenders and handles prequalification of contractors and manufacturers; advanced features are for registered business partners. Confirm current requirements with its procurement and HSE teams.
How will SAMS supply KOC?
Through authorised distributors once certificates exist. Until then SAMS can send the datasheet and certification schedule and arrange safe-area evaluation units.
Which KOC work areas typically need Zone 1 rated phones and tablets?
Typically oil and gas wellsites, crude gathering and processing facilities and any new offshore or heavy-oil developments. The area classification drawings are issued by KOC for each facility, so ask for the zone and gas group first and then select the equipment protection level and temperature class to match.
How should devices be specified for Kuwait's summer heat in oil fields?
Summer air temperatures in Kuwait's desert fields typically run well above 40 degrees Celsius, and surfaces in direct sun are hotter still. Check the stated operating, charging and storage temperature ranges on the datasheet, keep devices shaded and out of closed vehicles, and confirm any site limits with the operator.
Does KOC prequalify manufacturers as well as contractors?
Its eBusiness portal lists tenders and handles prequalification of contractors and manufacturers, with advanced features reserved for registered business partners. Ask KOC's procurement team for current requirements. The IS-04Z1 has no certificate yet, and SAMS has appointed no distributor to register on its behalf.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Other guides for KOC, other places in Kuwait, and the pages behind them.
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone for KOCSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier for KOCSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for KOCSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone for KOCSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for KNPCElsewhere in Kuwait
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for PICElsewhere in Kuwait
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for EQUATEElsewhere in Kuwait
Kuwait market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for KuwaitEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · KOC
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for KOC, Kuwait
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Enquiry · KOC
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for KOC?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.