Closed in 2022
ADNOC states the refinery was shut down with zero flaring in 2022, and the land has since been repurposed to suit Abu Dhabi's future needs.
Umm Al Nar Refinery · intrinsically safe
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone in Umm Al Nar Refinery
Umm Al Nar Island in Abu Dhabi hosted the UAE's first refinery, inaugurated in 1976, which processed up to 85,000 barrels a day at its peak. ADNOC shut it in 2022 and focused its downstream refining and petrochemicals strategy on Ruwais, so current Zone 1 work is elsewhere. This page explains what to look for in an intrinsically safe mobile phone for Umm Al Nar (former ADNOC refinery), and where the IS-04Z1 stands against that list today.
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 topicintrinsically safe
DeviceMobile Phone
RouteSpecification
WhereUmm Al Nar Refinery
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Umm Al Nar (former ADNOC refinery): pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
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. A buyer's engineering review is separate from the certificate. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · intrinsically safe
Checklist: intrinsically safe mobile phone for Umm Al Nar (former ADNOC refinery)
| 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 | Umm Al Nar (former ADNOC refinery): Decommissioned refinery process units (former), Site clearance and demolition works, Relocated process units being reassembled elsewhere in the UAE | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Umm Al Nar Refinery
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 Umm Al Nar Refinery. 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 site · Umm Al Nar (former ADNOC refinery)
Working in Umm Al Nar (former ADNOC refinery): operators and classified areas
The companies on site and the hazardous-area types a handset is likely to meet there.
Operators and companies on site
- ADNOC
Classified areas to expect
- Decommissioned refinery process units (former)
- Site clearance and demolition works
- Relocated process units being reassembled elsewhere in the UAE
Local conditions · Umm Al Nar (former ADNOC refinery)
Site conditions at Umm Al Nar (former ADNOC refinery): what wears and what limits equipment
Equipment reused elsewhere
ADNOC says the refinery's processing units are being refurbished and reassembled at a location within the UAE, where more than 240 specialist staff will be employed.
Field notes · Umm Al Nar (former ADNOC refinery)
More about Umm Al Nar (former ADNOC refinery) that matters for portable equipment
Umm Al Nar (former ADNOC refinery): rules and approvals
UAE handsets need type approval from the federal Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, and any remaining fuel or gas facility nearby will set its own device rules.
Umm Al Nar (former ADNOC refinery): projects and investment
The Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi has run three seasons of fieldwork at the island since 2020, so archaeology and industrial clearance can overlap in time.
Umm Al Nar (former ADNOC refinery): background
The island gave its name to the Umm Al Nar Bronze Age culture of about 2600 to 2000 BCE, so it is better known archaeologically than as a refinery site.
Umm Al Nar (former ADNOC refinery): projects and investment
The protected archaeological site is fenced by a concrete wall of about 1,760 m, and it lies between a refinery and a sensitive military area, so works near it face heritage constraints.
The term · intrinsically safe
What “intrinsically safe” means for a smartphone
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 Umm Al Nar (former ADNOC refinery). Demolition and clearance rounds involve walking through former process units, checking isolations and recording condition without stopping to leave the area. A battery handheld designed for intrinsic safety lets inspectors photograph and log findings at the point of work. Any live-gas question during such work belongs to the operator's permit regime, not to the phone.
The route · specification
Specifying an intrinsically safe mobile phone for Umm Al Nar Refinery
A short checklist for anyone writing or reviewing the specification, with the IS-04Z1 status against each point.
Check on the paper
- Marking
- Equipment group, category, protection concept, gas group and temperature class, matched to the area drawing.
- Certificate and schedule
- A certificate number, issuing body and the schedule of conditions, not a brochure claim.
- Standards edition
- The IEC 60079 or national standard edition the certificate was issued against.
Check for the IS-04Z1
- Marking target
- II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4: a target, not yet a certificate.
- Certificate status
- IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 in progress; none issued.
- Operator approval
- Separate from the certificate and handled with the site operator.
Questions · Umm Al Nar Refinery
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an intrinsically safe mobile phone in Umm Al Nar Refinery today?
Not yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and its certification is still in progress ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. No unit goes into a classified area before the certificate covering it exists. The datasheet, the certification schedule and safe-area evaluation units are available now.
What does an intrinsically safe mobile phone in Umm Al Nar Refinery cost?
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.
What does ‘intrinsically safe’ mean for the IS-04Z1?
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.
Which areas at Umm Al Nar (former ADNOC refinery) would use it?
Likely candidates are decommissioned refinery process units (former), site clearance and demolition works, relocated process units being reassembled elsewhere in the uae. Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
Is intrinsically safe the same as explosion proof?
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.
Why is access to Umm Al Nar island restricted?
The island is reached across a bridge restricted to pass holders. It also holds a protected archaeological site between a refinery and a sensitive military area, so public access is prohibited. Contractors need a pass arranged through the site owner or main contractor.
Is there still hazardous-area work at Umm Al Nar?
Possibly limited. The former refinery was shut in 2022, so current work is mainly decommissioning, clearance and site works, which can still involve residual hydrocarbons and gas-freeing. Confirm the current status and rules with the site owner before specifying devices.
Is there still hazardous-area work at Umm Al Nar?
ADNOC states that the refinery stopped operating in 2022 and the land is being redeveloped. Some clearance and demolition activity may involve residual classified areas, but live refinery work has moved on. Confirm with the site operator what classification, if any, still applies to a given work package.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Other guides for Umm Al Nar Refinery, other places in United Arab Emirates, and the pages behind them.
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone in Umm Al Nar RefinerySame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone in Umm Al Nar RefinerySame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in Umm Al Nar RefinerySame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in Umm Al Nar RefinerySame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone in Umm Al Nar RefinerySame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone in Umm Al Nar RefinerySame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in Fujairah Oil TerminalElsewhere in United Arab Emirates
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ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in UAE OffshoreElsewhere in United Arab Emirates
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in Ruwais PetrochemicalElsewhere in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for United Arab EmiratesEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Umm Al Nar (former ADNOC refinery)
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Umm Al Nar (former ADNOC refinery), 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.
Enquiry · Umm Al Nar (former ADNOC refinery)
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Umm Al Nar Refinery?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.