Climate
A subtropical, humid climate with the highest annual rainfall of the lower 48 states. Most refineries are in the south of the state and are exposed to storms.
Other large refineries include Citgo at Lake Charles, Phillips 66 at Westlake, Shell at Norco with about 231,000 barrels a day, and Valero at Norco and Meraux. Zone 1 and Zone 21 areas arise at refinery units, petrochemical plants, LNG trains and storage across the state. This page explains what to look for in an IECEx smartphone for Louisiana, and where the IS-04Z1 stands against that list today.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Louisiana: 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. A buyer's engineering review is separate from the certificate. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
| 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 | Louisiana: Refinery process units, Petrochemical plants, LNG liquefaction and loading | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Louisiana. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
Who operates there and which kinds of classified area a handset would meet, from the SAMS site research.
A subtropical, humid climate with the highest annual rainfall of the lower 48 states. Most refineries are in the south of the state and are exposed to storms.
The 15 refineries can process almost 3 million barrels of crude a day, and three of them rank among the ten largest in the United States, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
The stretch of river between New Orleans and Baton Rouge is home to more than 140 chemical plants and refineries, with new plants added where cheap natural gas meets international port access.
The largest refinery in the state is Marathon Petroleum's Garyville plant at 617,000 barrels a day, followed by ExxonMobil's Baton Rouge refinery at about 523,500 barrels a day.
Louisiana is divided into parishes rather than counties, so permits, local authorities and emergency planning bodies are organised at parish level.
Southern Louisiana has long, hot, humid summers, with highs averaging 90 degrees Fahrenheit or more from June to September and overnight lows above 70, and frequent brief tropical downpours.
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 Louisiana. Across the state, LNG terminals and refineries bring visiting contractors who may already work to IECEx elsewhere. A certificate of conformity and its schedule of conditions give those teams a common record to review. For the IS-04Z1, IECEx is a certification target in progress and is not yet held.
A short checklist for anyone writing or reviewing the specification, with the IS-04Z1 status against each point.
No. Nothing can be bought or taken into a classified area today: certification is in progress and launch is planned for Q4 2026. What is available now is the datasheet, the written certification schedule and evaluation units for safe-area use.
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.
No. The IECEx certificate is in progress and has not been issued. SAMS will publish the number when it exists.
Likely candidates are refinery process units, petrochemical plants, lng liquefaction and loading, tank farms and terminals. Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
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.
They concentrate along the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, around Lake Charles in the southwest, and in the Norco and Chalmette areas. Each has its own operators, so confirm the exact plant and gate procedures before sending staff or equipment.
Ask for the area classification for the units you will visit, the equipment approvals they accept, and any rules on cameras, radios and charging. Requirements vary by operator, and your safety contact on site is the authority.
Not necessarily. Operators set their own contractor and equipment approvals, so a refinery and an LNG terminal may ask for different documents. The IS-04Z1 has no certificate yet. Confirm requirements with the site operator for each plant before planning a fleet.
Other guides for Louisiana, other places in United States, and the pages behind them.
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.