PetroSA: rules and approvals
In 2020 the Cabinet approved merging PetroSA with the Strategic Fuel Fund and iGas to form a new national petroleum company, so organisational names and contacts may change; check the current entity.
PetroSA · IECEx
IECEx Smartphone for PetroSA
The Petroleum Agency of South Africa (PASA) is the state regulator for onshore and offshore oil and gas exploration, and was split out of Soekor when PetroSA was created. It owns the Mossel Bay gas-to-liquids refinery and the offshore FA platform and gas fields of the Bredasdorp Basin that fed it. If you are specifying an IECEx smartphone for PetroSA, this page covers the markings, the approvals and the current certification status 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
DeviceSmartphone
RouteSpecification
WherePetroSA
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for PetroSA: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
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 smartphone for PetroSA
| 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 | PetroSA: Gas-to-liquids process units, Offshore platforms, Gas and condensate handling | Classified by the site operator |
Product · South Africa
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 South Africa. 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 · PetroSA
The Petroleum, Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa (PetroSA): operations and where an Ex phone fits
A short profile of its operations and the kinds of classified area that matter for portable equipment.
Sites and areas
- Mossel Bay GTL refinery
- FA production platform
- Bredasdorp Basin gas fields (F-A and E-M)
Classified areas
- Gas-to-liquids process units
- Offshore platforms
- Gas and condensate handling
Supplier approval · PetroSA
Supplier registration at PetroSA
PetroSA lists a supplier procurement portal on its website (procurement.petrosa.com); confirm current registration and equipment approval 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 · PetroSA
More about PetroSA that matters for portable equipment
PetroSA: industry on the ground
Its gas-to-liquids refinery at Mossel Bay has a capacity of about 45,000 barrels a day and converts gas and condensate into liquid fuels and chemicals, a process plant with gas and liquid hazards.
PetroSA: background
PetroSA was formed in January 2002 by merging Mossgas, Soekor and parts of the Strategic Fuel Fund Association, and was launched by President Thabo Mbeki that year.
PetroSA: projects and investment
The Oribi field, discovered in 1990, was the first oilfield development in South Africa, operated by Soekor before it merged into PetroSA.
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 PetroSA. If international EPCs or specialist contractors work on the Mossel Bay gas-to-liquids refinery or the offshore FA platform, IECEx documentation is a common reference. A reviewer should read the certificate of conformity with its schedule of conditions. The IS-04Z1 is designed for IECEx, and certification is in progress.
The route · specification
Specifying an IECEx smartphone for PetroSA
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 · PetroSA
Frequently asked questions
Can PetroSA buy the IS-04Z1 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 smartphone for PetroSA 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.
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 PetroSA approve suppliers?
PetroSA lists a supplier procurement portal on its website (procurement.petrosa.com); confirm current registration and equipment approval requirements with its procurement and HSE teams.
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.
Is PetroSA's structure changing, and does that matter to suppliers?
The Cabinet approved a merger of PetroSA with the Strategic Fuel Fund and iGas in 2020 to form a new national petroleum company. Supplier registration details and contacts can change with such restructuring, so confirm the current legal entity and procurement portal before submitting any documents.
Who regulates exploration activity that PetroSA operates offshore?
The Petroleum Agency of South Africa regulates onshore and offshore oil and gas exploration. It does not certify handheld equipment itself, so Ex certification questions are normally handled through the operator's own standards and South African electrical and mine or plant safety rules. Confirm requirements with PetroSA.
Where do suppliers register with PetroSA?
The sheet says PetroSA lists a supplier procurement portal on its website, procurement.petrosa.com. Registration and equipment approval requirements should be confirmed with PetroSA's procurement and HSE teams, as they may change. The IS-04Z1 has no certificate yet, so it cannot be offered as certified equipment.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Other guides for PetroSA, other places in South Africa, and the pages behind them.
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone for PetroSASame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Supplier for PetroSASame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone for PetroSASame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone for PetroSASame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for SasolElsewhere in South Africa
South Africa market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for South AfricaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · PetroSA
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for PetroSA, South Africa
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 · PetroSA
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for PetroSA?
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.