OQ: industry on the ground
OQ is wholly owned by the Government of Oman through the Oman Investment Authority and works in energy infrastructure, refining, petrochemicals, oil marketing and power, across 17 countries.
OQ · IECEx
IECEx Smartphone Supplier for OQ
OQ is an Omani integrated energy group wholly owned by the Government of Oman and part of the Oman Investment Authority, created in 2019 when Orpic merged with Oman Oil Company. Its refining arm, OQ Refineries and Petroleum Industries, runs the Sohar and Mina Al Fahal refineries, and OQ is a partner in the Duqm refinery joint venture (OQ8). This page sets out how an IECEx smartphone supply route to OQ 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
DeviceSmartphone
RouteSupply
WhereOQ
Short answer. An IECEx smartphone for OQ 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.
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. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · IECEx
Checklist: IECEx smartphone for OQ
| 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 | OQ: Refinery process units, Petrochemical plants, Fuel and crude storage terminals | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Oman
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 Oman. 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 · OQ
Working with OQ Group: 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
- Sohar
- Mina Al Fahal (Muscat)
- Duqm (OQ8 joint venture with Kuwait Petroleum International)
Classified areas
- Refinery process units
- Petrochemical plants
- Fuel and crude storage terminals
Supplier approval · OQ
Supplier registration at OQ
OQ reports more than 13,000 registered vendors and suppliers and has a Vendors page on its website; 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 · OQ
More about OQ that matters for portable equipment
OQ: projects and investment
The Duqm Refinery and Petrochemical Complex is a joint venture announced in 2017 between OQ and Kuwait Petroleum International, with construction of the refinery starting in 2018.
OQ: infrastructure
OQ's subsidiary Oman Tank Terminal Company began building a crude oil storage terminal near Ras Markaz in 2017, a remote coastal site with large tank farms and marine loading.
OQ: industry on the ground
As of June 2023 OQ was producing more than 246,000 barrels of oil a day from its upstream interests, in addition to its downstream plants.
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 OQ. OQ's refineries and the Duqm joint venture bring international partners and contractors who tend to hold IECEx documents. They look for a certificate of conformity and its schedule of conditions. IECEx is a target for the IS-04Z1 and remains in progress, so treat it as a planned route and not an approval already held.
The route · supply
Sourcing the IS-04Z1 for OQ
There is no stock to order for OQ yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch, certification is in progress, and supply will run through authorised distributors after the certificates are issued. Procurement teams can prepare now with the datasheet, the certification schedule and a safe-area evaluation.
- 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 · OQ
Frequently asked questions
Can OQ 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 OQ 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 OQ approve suppliers?
OQ reports more than 13,000 registered vendors and suppliers and has a Vendors page on its website; confirm current registration and equipment approval requirements with its procurement and HSE teams.
How will SAMS supply OQ?
Through authorised distributors once certificates exist. Until then SAMS can send the datasheet and certification schedule and arrange safe-area evaluation units.
What should I check for devices used at coastal Omani terminals?
Coastal terminals such as Ras Markaz combine heat, salt-laden air and dust, so check the ingress protection rating, corrosion resistance of the enclosure and the operating temperature range, in addition to the gas group and temperature class. Confirm any marine or terminal-specific requirements with the terminal operator.
Does OQ run one procurement route for all of its companies?
OQ is a group with several operating companies, joint ventures and terminals, and each can apply its own site rules. Check with the procurement and HSE team of the specific OQ company, such as the refining or terminal business, for current supplier registration and equipment approval steps.
Does Oman's climate affect a handset used at LPG storage?
Summer heat, humidity and dust are routine, and Salalah has a monsoon season. IP68 sealing helps with dust and water but is not explosion protection. Check the datasheet temperature range, test battery life locally, and ask OQ's HSE team how portable devices are charged and kept near LPG areas.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for OQ and for Oman.
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone for OQSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone for OQSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for OQSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone for OQSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for PDOElsewhere in Oman
Oman market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for OmanEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · OQ
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for OQ, Oman
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 · OQ
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for OQ?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.