PPL: projects and investment
PPL also holds interests in partner-operated producing fields, including the Qadirpur, Sawan and Miano gas fields and the Tal, Nashpa and Gambat blocks, alongside its own operated fields.
PPL · intrinsically safe
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Supplier for PPL
Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) is a Karachi-headquartered exploration and production company, 67.51 per cent government owned, best known for the Sui gas field in Balochistan. The Kandhkot gas field was discovered in 1959, but production did not start until 1987 because of low demand, showing a long gap between discovery and development. This page sets out how an intrinsically safe mobile phone supply route to PPL 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 topicintrinsically safe
DeviceMobile Phone
RouteSupply
WherePPL
Short answer. An intrinsically safe mobile phone for PPL 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.
Where things stand: the IS-04Z1 has not launched, and none of its four certification routes has produced a certificate yet. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · intrinsically safe
Checklist: intrinsically safe mobile phone for PPL
| 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 | PPL: Gas wellheads and gathering, Gas processing and compression plants, Condensate handling | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Pakistan
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 Pakistan. 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 · PPL
Pakistan Petroleum Limited: operations and where an Ex phone fits
A short profile of its operations and the kinds of classified area that matter for portable equipment.
Sites and areas
- Mazarani
- Adhi
- Chachar (Sindh)
- Hala
Classified areas
- Gas wellheads and gathering
- Gas processing and compression plants
- Condensate handling
Supplier approval · PPL
Becoming an approved supplier to PPL
PPL runs an e-procurement portal (eprocurement.ppl.com.pk) through which tenders are issued and bids submitted; confirm vendor registration steps with its support team. 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 · PPL
More about PPL that matters for portable equipment
PPL: industry on the ground
Bolan Mining Enterprises, an equal joint venture with the Balochistan government, runs a 50,000 tonnes-a-year grinding mill at Khuzdar that supplies barytes to oil companies in Pakistan, adding a mineral-dust workplace.
PPL: who works there
The Sui gas field, discovered in 1952, is the company's flagship project and is in a depletion phase, with PPL as operator holding 100% of both Sui and Kandhkot.
PPL: projects and investment
In December 2019 the company announced new oil and gas discoveries in Sindh and Balochistan, so new well sites and gathering facilities are being added in both provinces.
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 PPL. Gas wellhead, gathering and compression rounds suit a device that can be carried into classified areas without extra permits for the handset itself, if its certificate allows. For crews working the Sui field in Balochistan or fields in Sindh, a single handheld for photos, checklists and calls would replace separate devices. Permits stay under PPL control.
The route · supply
Sourcing the IS-04Z1 for PPL
Nothing can be bought for PPL 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 · PPL
Frequently asked questions
Can PPL buy the IS-04Z1 today?
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.
What does an intrinsically safe mobile phone for PPL 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.
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.
How does PPL approve suppliers?
PPL runs an e-procurement portal (eprocurement.ppl.com.pk) through which tenders are issued and bids submitted; confirm vendor registration steps with its support team.
How will SAMS supply PPL?
Through authorised distributors once certificates exist. Until then SAMS can send the datasheet and certification schedule and arrange safe-area evaluation units.
Where are PPL's main hazardous-area sites?
The Sui gas field in Balochistan and the Kandhkot field in Sindh are the best-known operations, with wells, gathering lines and gas processing facilities. Zoning is facility-specific, so ask PPL's HSE team for area classification drawings before specifying handheld equipment.
What certificates do Pakistani oil and gas sites usually accept?
Operators commonly accept recognised international explosive-atmosphere certificates such as ATEX or IECEx and may add their own specifications. There is no public approved list, so confirm with PPL which certificates it accepts for handheld devices in classified areas.
How are tenders issued by PPL?
The sheet says PPL runs an e-procurement portal through which tenders are issued and bids submitted. Registration steps and any vendor requirements should be confirmed with PPL's support team, as they may change. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and has no certificate, so it cannot be bid as certified equipment.
Related guides
Keep exploring
More on PPL, and on other places in Pakistan.
IECEx Mobile Phone for PPLSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone for PPLSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone for PPLSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone for PPLSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for OGDCLElsewhere in Pakistan
Pakistan market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for PakistanEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · PPL
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for PPL, Pakistan
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Enquiry · PPL
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for PPL?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.