PetroSA: rules and approvals
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.
PetroSA · IECEx
IECEx Smartphone Supplier for PetroSA
PetroSA is South Africa's state-owned oil and gas company, a subsidiary of CEF SOC Limited. It owns the Mossel Bay gas-to-liquids refinery and the offshore FA platform and gas fields of the Bredasdorp Basin that fed it. This page sets out how an IECEx smartphone supply route to PetroSA 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
WherePetroSA
Short answer. An IECEx smartphone for PetroSA 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.
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
Working with The Petroleum, Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa (PetroSA): 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
- 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
Becoming an approved supplier to 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: 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.
PetroSA: background
The first South African offshore well was drilled in 1969, and natural gas deposits were found on the continental shelf off the Southern Cape coast, which led to today's offshore gas business.
PetroSA: who works there
PetroSA has been a member of the Fuels Industry Association of South Africa since 2002, which links it to the wider fuels sector and its industry safety practice.
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 · supply
Sourcing the IS-04Z1 for PetroSA
Nothing can be bought for PetroSA today: the IS-04Z1 is pre-launch, and SAMS will supply end users through authorised distributors once certificates exist. What a buyer can do now is take the specification, ask for the written certification schedule and arrange a safe-area evaluation, so that the right local channel contacts you at launch.
- 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 · PetroSA
Frequently asked questions
Can PetroSA buy the IS-04Z1 today?
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.
What does an IECEx smartphone for PetroSA 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 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.
How will SAMS supply PetroSA?
Through authorised distributors once certificates exist. Until then SAMS can send the datasheet and certification schedule and arrange safe-area evaluation units.
Where would handheld intrinsically safe equipment be used at PetroSA?
The main classified areas are the offshore gas production units and the gas-to-liquids plant at Mossel Bay, with its process units, storage and loading. Exact zoning is set per installation, so ask PetroSA's HSE team for area classification drawings before specifying devices.
How does the coastal climate at Mossel Bay affect phone selection?
Mossel Bay is on the South Coast, so sea air brings salt and humidity that can corrode connectors and cases. Look for sealed ports, good ingress protection and corrosion-resistant materials, and ask the site about its own environmental requirements for portable electronics.
Is the Mossel Bay refinery operating at present?
The sheet notes search reports that it has been idle since 2020 with a phased restart planned, but this was not confirmed from a fetched page. Confirm current status with PetroSA. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and has no certificate, so no deployment can be planned yet.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for PetroSA and for South Africa.
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone for PetroSASame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Supplier for PetroSASame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for PetroSASame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier 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
Share the site details and quantity. You will get the datasheet and the certification schedule back by email; pricing is indicative only until launch.
Enquiry · PetroSA
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for PetroSA?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.