Access
Das Island lies about 160 km north-west of the UAE mainland and is staffed by about 6,000 oil and gas personnel on a rotational schedule, so access is by operator-controlled sea and air transport.
The UAE's main offshore oil and gas fields lie in the Arabian Gulf off Abu Dhabi. Upper Zakum, discovered in 1963 and on stream since 1977, is operated as part of ADNOC Offshore (formerly ZADCO), with offshore output handled at island facilities such as Das Island and Zirku Island. If you are specifying an industrial smartphone for UAE offshore fields, 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 UAE offshore fields: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
For the record, no certificate exists for the IS-04Z1 today. The programme is under way ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | UAE offshore fields: Offshore production platforms and islands, Island processing and terminals, Platform and subsea pipelines | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in UAE Offshore. 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.
Das Island lies about 160 km north-west of the UAE mainland and is staffed by about 6,000 oil and gas personnel on a rotational schedule, so access is by operator-controlled sea and air transport.
Desert marine climate; Zirku Island summer temperatures are typically 35 to 45 degrees C with high humidity.
Upper Zakum lies about 84 km north-west of the Abu Dhabi islands, so it is a boat or helicopter journey from the mainland.
UAE phones need federal type approval from the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, and offshore operators may add their own device rules on top.
ADNOC plans facilities to sustain production through 2030 on five islands: Zirku, Asseifiya, Umm Al Anbar, Al Ghallan and Ettouk.
Upper and Lower Zakum together hold around 50 billion barrels of oil in place and form the second largest offshore oilfield in the world.
“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 UAE offshore fields. Offshore sites are reached by sea and air under operator control, with rotating crews, so device management matters. A phone would be enrolled in the employer's EMM or MDM, and charging would take place in safe areas such as accommodation. The IS-04Z1 is designed for EMM/MDM.
A short checklist for anyone writing or reviewing the specification, with the IS-04Z1 status against each point.
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.
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 offshore production platforms and islands, island processing and terminals, platform and subsea pipelines, marine loading 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.
Artificial islands let operators drill many wells and handle production from fixed land-like platforms, and they favour extended-reach drilling. ADNOC Drilling has been contracted for new island rigs, so contractor numbers on the islands may rise. Confirm access and equipment rules with ADNOC Offshore.
Salt-laden humid air is typical, so look for sealed housings, corrosion-resistant connectors and a stated ingress protection rating. Rinse and dry devices as the manufacturer advises, and carry spares, as resupply is by sea or air.
The offshore setting is hot and humid with salt-laden air; Zirku Island summers reach 35 to 45 degrees C. The IS-04Z1 is designed to IP68 with a 4,000 mAh battery, but no heat or salt limits are published. Ask for the datasheet and agree use conditions with the operator.
More on UAE Offshore, and on other places in United Arab Emirates.
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.