CNRL: industry on the ground
In 2018 synthetic crude from northern Alberta oil sands mining made up 39% of production, natural gas 24%, light and medium crude and liquids 13%, and Pelican Lake heavy crude 6%.
CNRL · intrinsically safe
Intrinsically Safe Smartphone for CNRL
CNRL is a Calgary-based oil and gas producer, founded in 1973, and is Canada's largest heavy crude oil producer. It operates the Horizon oil sands mining and upgrading project about 75 km north of Fort McMurray, Alberta, and the Athabasca Oil Sands Project acquired in 2017. This page explains what to look for in an intrinsically safe smartphone for CNRL, 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
DeviceSmartphone
RouteSpecification
WhereCNRL
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for CNRL: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
Where things stand: the IS-04Z1 has not launched, and none of its four certification routes has produced a certificate yet. An operator's own vendor approval is a separate step. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · intrinsically safe
Checklist: intrinsically safe smartphone for CNRL
| 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 | CNRL: Oil sands mining and upgrading units, Oil and gas production facilities, Gas processing | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Canada
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 Canada. 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 · CNRL
Working with Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNRL): sites and classified areas
The main sites and the hazardous-area types a portable device is likely to meet at this organisation.
Sites and areas
- Horizon oil sands (north of Fort McMurray)
- Athabasca Oil Sands Project
- Alberta heavy oil and gas operations
Classified areas
- Oil sands mining and upgrading units
- Oil and gas production facilities
- Gas processing
Supplier approval · CNRL
Supplier registration at CNRL
CNRL uses ISNetworld (ISN) for health, safety and environment qualification; businesses register through the prospective suppliers page, and all contractors must ultimately qualify with ISN to work for CNRL. 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 · CNRL
More about CNRL that matters for portable equipment
CNRL: who works there
The company also owns and operates the Athabasca Oil Sands Project, about 70 km north of Fort McMurray, adding a second large mining and upgrading site in the Athabasca region.
CNRL: geography and layout
Canadian Natural is headquartered in Calgary and operates mainly in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, with offshore operations in the UK sector of the North Sea and off Cote d'Ivoire and Gabon.
CNRL: people and language
The company was reported to have 9,709 employees in 2021, and average production was about 1.57 million barrels of oil equivalent a day in 2025, indicating a large multi-site workforce.
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 CNRL. Upgrader rounds, shutdown inspections and field checks at Alberta production sites involve photographing equipment, reading tags and recording faults in classified areas. A handheld designed as intrinsically safe could carry that on one device. The IS-04Z1 is designed for this use, though certification is still in progress.
The route · specification
Specifying an intrinsically safe smartphone for CNRL
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 · CNRL
Frequently asked questions
Can CNRL buy the IS-04Z1 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 smartphone for CNRL 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 CNRL approve suppliers?
CNRL uses ISNetworld (ISN) for health, safety and environment qualification; businesses register through the prospective suppliers page, and all contractors must ultimately qualify with ISN to work for CNRL.
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.
Which standard applies to hazardous-area phones at Canadian oil sands sites?
Canada uses its own classification and approval system, typically Class, Division or Zone markings accepted through Canadian certification bodies, rather than ATEX alone. Confirm with Canadian Natural and its site electrical authority which certification marks they accept for portable devices before supply.
Where would handheld devices be used on an oil sands upgrader?
Typical Zone 1 or Zone 2 or Division 1 or 2 locations include upgrader process units, hydrocarbon storage, loading areas and pipeline stations, while mine and camp areas are usually non-classified. Zoning is site-specific, so request the area classification drawings from the operator.
How does a business qualify to work for CNRL?
CNRL uses ISNetworld for health, safety and environment qualification. Businesses register through the prospective suppliers page, and all contractors must ultimately qualify with ISN to work for CNRL. Confirm current steps with CNRL. The IS-04Z1 has no certificate yet, so any evaluation unit needs site approval first.
Related guides
Keep exploring
More on CNRL, and on other places in Canada.
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone for CNRLSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone for CNRLSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for CNRLSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Supplier for CNRLSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for SuncorElsewhere in Canada
Canada market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for CanadaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · CNRL
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for CNRL, Canada
Share the site details and quantity. You will get the datasheet and the certification schedule back by email; pricing is indicative only until launch.
Enquiry · CNRL
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for CNRL?
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.