Logistics
Facilities lie well offshore, Thunder Horse about 150 miles south-east of New Orleans, so access depends on helicopter and vessel schedules.
Gulf of Mexico Rigs · IECEx
IECEx Smartphone in Gulf of Mexico Rigs
Operators must submit decommissioning plans before removing platforms and carry out post-decommissioning surveys, so offshore work continues after production ends. Hazardous-area work covers well bays, process decks and drill floors, regulated offshore by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. If you are specifying an IECEx smartphone for US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs, 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
WhereGulf of Mexico Rigs
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
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. A buyer's engineering review is separate from the certificate. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · IECEx
Checklist: IECEx smartphone for US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs
| 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 | US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs: Drill floors and well bays, Production process decks, Wellhead areas | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Gulf of Mexico Rigs
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 Gulf of Mexico Rigs. 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 · US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs
US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs: 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
- BP
- Shell
- Chevron
- ExxonMobil
Classified areas to expect
- Drill floors and well bays
- Production process decks
- Wellhead areas
- Utility and compression areas
Local conditions · US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs
Conditions in US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs that affect handheld equipment
Platforms
BP operates Thunder Horse, a semi-submersible in about 1,840 m of water with first oil in 2008. Shell operates Perdido, a spar in about 2,450 m of water, with Chevron and BP as partners.
Field notes · US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs
More about US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs that matters for portable equipment
US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs: projects and investment
About 27,000 abandoned oil and gas wells lie beneath the Gulf, so well plugging and decommissioning is a continuing source of offshore work alongside production.
US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs: industry on the ground
The Gulf is one of the largest offshore petroleum regions in the world and accounts for about 14 percent of United States crude oil production, according to the encyclopaedia entry on the Gulf.
US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs: rules and approvals
The US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement is the federal agency responsible for offshore safety and environmental protection and sets decommissioning requirements, including plans for removing platforms and plugging wells.
US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs: people and language
By 1975 around 400 rigs in the Gulf hosted a temporary population of more than 10,000 workers, rotated on staggered weekly schedules, and automation has since reduced the offshore headcount.
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 US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs. Deepwater platforms such as Thunder Horse and Perdido involve international rig contractors, service companies and inspectors, many of whom use IECEx paperwork. The aim is a certificate of conformity plus a schedule of conditions that an offshore engineer can read against a specific area. It is still in progress.
The route · specification
Specifying an IECEx smartphone for Gulf of Mexico Rigs
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 · Gulf of Mexico Rigs
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an IECEx smartphone in Gulf of Mexico Rigs 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 in Gulf of Mexico Rigs 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.
Which areas at US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs would use it?
Likely candidates are drill floors and well bays, production process decks, wellhead areas, utility and compression areas. Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
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.
Why do offshore handsets need a long battery and strong charging plan?
Offshore trips run for days at a time with crews rotating on set schedules, and charging points in classified areas are limited. Plan for a full-shift battery, spare cells approved for the area, and charging only in safe areas as the platform rules require.
Is decommissioning work a factor for handset demand in the Gulf?
Decommissioning is a steady activity, with tens of thousands of old wells to plug and structures to remove under regulator-approved plans. Contractors on these jobs still work in areas that may contain hydrocarbons, so the same area-classification checks apply.
How do logistics affect offshore equipment?
Facilities lie well offshore, with Thunder Horse about 150 miles south-east of New Orleans, so access depends on helicopter and vessel schedules. Plan device enrolment, battery charging and safe-area handover onshore, and ask the operator how equipment is checked and approved before it travels.
Related guides
Keep exploring
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Hazardous Area Mobile Phone in Gulf of Mexico RigsSame place, different guide
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Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone in Gulf of Mexico RigsSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in Gulf of Mexico RigsSame place, different guide
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Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs, United States
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 · US Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms and rigs
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Gulf of Mexico Rigs?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.