Climate
Hot desert climate with high summer temperatures and dust.
Al-Ahsa is the largest governorate in Saudi Arabia by area, with Hofuf as its seat and a 2022 population of about 1.1 million. The governorate has fertile land and abundant water, and has historically been a trade crossroads linking Arabia with Persia and India. Distribution partners for Al-Ahsa (Hofuf) are being identified ahead of the Q4 2026 launch of the IS-04Z1.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Short answer. Al-Ahsa (Hofuf) has no appointed SAMS distributor yet: the IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued, launch planned for Q4 2026), and distributor applications are open.
For the record, no certificate exists for the IS-04Z1 today. The programme is under way ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Level of protection | ia, ib or ic matched to the zone | ib, for Zone 1 |
| Entity parameters | Uo, Io and Po within the device limits | Published with the certificate |
| Accessories | Chargers and cases certified with the device | Defined at certification |
| Where it applies | Al-Ahsa (Hofuf): Water injection facilities, Pipeline pump stations, Oil wellsites and gathering | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Al Ahsa. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
A short profile of the site and the kinds of classified area that matter for portable equipment.
Hot desert climate with high summer temperatures and dust.
Hofuf is served by an airport, rail station and highways to Riyadh and Dammam.
Ghawar's reservoir is a limestone about 85 m thick, lying roughly 1,800 to 2,100 m below ground, so wells and surface facilities handle high-pressure oil and associated gas.
Al-Ahsa International Airport lies 25 km from the city centre and has flights to Jeddah, Medina and Dubai; highways link the area to Riyadh, Dammam and Abu Dhabi.
The Al-Ahsa oasis and Hofuf lie on the east flank of Ghawar, in the area of the 'Uthmaniyah production zone, so farmland and settlements sit close to oil and gas facilities.
Operators are reported to inject seawater into Ghawar at around 7 million barrels a day, in use since 1965, which means long water-injection pipelines and pumping plants.
Intrinsic safety limits the electrical and thermal energy in a circuit so that neither a spark nor a hot surface can ignite a gas or dust atmosphere, even when a fault occurs. The ib level, used for Zone 1, tolerates one fault. It is the usual way to make a handheld device that a worker carries continuously through a hazardous area.
The IS-04Z1 is designed on this principle for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4). Intrinsic safety is a design basis, not a certificate: certification is in progress and none has been issued yet.
In Al-Ahsa (Hofuf). Ghawar measures about 280 by 30 km, so a technician may drive between widely spread wellsites, water injection facilities and pump stations. A handheld intrinsically safe handset is useful there because one device can log findings, photograph equipment and call for help at each stop. The IS-04Z1 is designed for Zone 1 use.
Distribution of the IS-04Z1 is by authorised partners only, and SAMS has not yet granted a territory for Al-Ahsa (Hofuf). Each application is reviewed on its merits. Because opening a certified Ex handset in an ordinary workshop invalidates its certificate, the partner must be able to support and service the device locally.
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.
The circuits are designed to limit energy so a spark or hot surface cannot ignite a gas or dust atmosphere, even with one fault (level ib, Zone 1). Certification of that design is in progress.
Likely candidates are oil wellsites and gathering, associated gas handling, water injection facilities, pipeline pump stations. Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
Apply through the distributor page with your company details and the territory you cover. SAMS reviews applications company by company and has not yet granted a territory for Al-Ahsa (Hofuf).
Often yes. The Al-Ahsa oasis and Hofuf sit on the eastern flank of the Ghawar field, so wellsites, gas handling and pipelines can be near settlements and agricultural land. Follow the operator's access and gate procedures rather than assuming open public roads lead to sites.
Ghawar is divided into five production areas running north to south, and the governorate covers about 375,000 square km. Teams often travel long distances between sites, so plan device charging, spare batteries and offline documentation rather than relying on constant connectivity.
Ghawar is divided into several zones and sites are widely spread, so coverage and travel time vary. Ask the site operator about network coverage and whether devices need to work offline. Device management through EMM or MDM should be planned around that, and handsets are best charged at a safe base.
Related guides for Al Ahsa and for Saudi Arabia.
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.