PPL: who works there
The Sui gas field, discovered in 1952, is the company's flagship project and is in a depletion phase, with PPL as operator holding 100% of both Sui and Kandhkot.
PPL · IECEx
IECEx Smartphone for PPL
PPL also holds interests in partner-operated producing fields, including the Qadirpur, Sawan and Miano gas fields and the Tal, Nashpa and Gambat blocks, alongside its own operated fields. It also operates fields such as Kandhkot, Mazarani and Chachar. This page explains what to look for in an IECEx smartphone for PPL, 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 topicIECEx
DeviceSmartphone
RouteSpecification
WherePPL
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for PPL: 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 PPL
| 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 | PPL: Gas wellheads and gathering, Gas processing and compression plants, Condensate handling | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Pakistan
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 Pakistan. 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 · PPL
Pakistan Petroleum Limited: 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
- Chachar (Sindh)
- Hala
- Sui (Balochistan)
- Kandhkot
Classified areas
- Gas wellheads and gathering
- Gas processing and compression plants
- Condensate handling
Supplier approval · PPL
How suppliers reach PPL
PPL runs an e-procurement portal (eprocurement.ppl.com.pk) through which tenders are issued and bids submitted; confirm vendor registration steps with its support team. 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 · PPL
More about PPL that matters for portable equipment
PPL: projects and investment
In December 2019 the company announced new oil and gas discoveries in Sindh and Balochistan, so new well sites and gathering facilities are being added in both provinces.
PPL: rules and approvals
The company was listed on the Karachi Stock Exchange in 2004 after an initial public offering, so it follows listed-company governance and procurement disclosure rules.
PPL: background
Pakistan Petroleum Limited was incorporated on 5 June 1950, inheriting the assets of the Burmah Oil Company, which sold its remaining equity to the government in 1997, so it is a long-established producer.
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 PPL. Visiting service companies and EPCs often carry IECEx documentation from other markets, which is useful when they work on gas gathering at Sui or compression at Kandhkot. A reviewer should read the certificate of conformity with its schedule of conditions, not just the front page. For the IS-04Z1, IECEx work is in progress.
The route · specification
Specifying an IECEx smartphone for PPL
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 · PPL
Frequently asked questions
Can PPL 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 PPL 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 PPL approve suppliers?
PPL runs an e-procurement portal (eprocurement.ppl.com.pk) through which tenders are issued and bids submitted; confirm vendor registration steps with its support team.
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.
How do suppliers approach PPL?
PPL buys through its own procurement department, normally by tender and vendor registration, with technical review by the operating asset. Confirm the current process and certification requirements directly with PPL's procurement before offering equipment.
How does desert heat affect phones used at Sui or Kandhkot?
Both areas are hot and dry, with high summer temperatures and dust. Handheld devices should have a suitable operating temperature range, good dust protection and a battery that tolerates heat, and the site can confirm its own limits and any restrictions on devices in direct sun.
Would the phone be suitable for gas fields in Balochistan and Sindh?
The IS-04Z1 is designed for intrinsically safe handheld use with IP68 protection, but a final decision depends on the certificate, the gas group and the area classification at each field. Heat, dust and distance from charging points should be planned for. No certificate has been issued yet, so ask PPL's HSE team.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Other guides for PPL, other places in Pakistan, and the pages behind them.
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone for PPLSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier for PPLSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone for PPLSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for PPLSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for OGDCLElsewhere in Pakistan
Pakistan market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for PakistanEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · PPL
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for PPL, Pakistan
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Enquiry · PPL
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for PPL?
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.