Refining
ExxonMobil's refinery dates from 1909 and has a reported capacity of 540,000 barrels a day as of 2020. It is among the largest in the US.
Baton Rouge is the Louisiana state capital on the Mississippi River. Its economy is anchored by petrochemicals, with ExxonMobil's refinery and chemical complex in the city and Dow operations nearby. Class I and Zone 1 areas occur at process units, tank farms and docks. If you are specifying an industrial mobile phone for Baton Rouge, this page covers the markings, the approvals and the current certification status of the IS-04Z1.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Baton Rouge: 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.
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Ingress protection | IP rating for dust and water | IP68 design |
| Fleet management | EMM and MDM support | Android 16 with EMM and MDM |
| Explosion protection | A separate certificate and marking | In progress; not issued |
| Where it applies | Baton Rouge: Refinery process units, Chemical plant units, Tank farms | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Baton Rouge. 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.
ExxonMobil's refinery dates from 1909 and has a reported capacity of 540,000 barrels a day as of 2020. It is among the largest in the US.
The Port of Greater Baton Rouge is the farthest inland point on the Mississippi that ocean-going vessels can reach, linking industry to rail, pipeline and barge.
Baton Rouge is the Louisiana state capital with more than 800,000 residents and is a significant port and a major industrial and petrochemical centre on the Mississippi River.
The refinery operates under a Title V major air permit and reports greenhouse gas emissions to the EPA each year, so environmental compliance is part of site management.
The refinery has a capacity of 540,000 barrels per day as of 2020, and the main plant sits on the east bank of the Mississippi River.
Eight interconnected sites operate round the clock and the complex produces more than 2.9 billion pounds of products annually, with the operator being the state's second-largest employer.
“Industrial” describes a phone built for plant conditions: sealed, drop-resistant and manageable at fleet scale through Android Enterprise. It does not by itself mean the phone may enter a classified area. Only a device with a valid explosion-protection certificate and marking may do that.
The IS-04Z1 is designed to be both an industrial Android phone (IP68, 4,000 mAh battery, 50 MP camera, Android 16 with EMM and MDM support) and an intrinsically safe one. Its explosion-protection certificates are in progress and have not been issued.
In Baton Rouge. Large plants run contractor fleets across shifts, so MDM or EMM enrolment, role-based access and tracked return of devices matter. Operators often have their own IT and security policies for contractor devices. Handsets would be charged in offices or control rooms outside classified units, with safe-area charging stations at larger turnarounds.
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.
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.
Yes by design: IP68 sealing, a 4,000 mAh battery, a 50 MP camera and Android 16 with EMM and MDM support. The explosion-protection certificates are separate and still in progress.
Likely candidates are refinery process units, chemical plant units, tank farms, dock and loading facilities. 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.
US refineries traditionally use NEC Class and Division, and many now accept IEC Zone-marked equipment. Confirm which scheme and gas group the facility's classification uses and what certification mark it accepts.
The Gulf Coast has a hurricane season, which can alter work schedules and site access. Confirm schedule risk and weather policy with the operator and contractor.
US plants have traditionally used Class and Division, and Zone-based classification is also used. Which applies depends on the operator's engineering standards for each area. ExxonMobil's engineering and safety teams approve equipment, so confirm requirements with the site operator before specifying.
More on Baton Rouge, and on other places in 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.
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.