PetroSA: geography and layout
PetroSA is headquartered in Cape Town, while its main gas fields lie offshore about 89 km from Mossel Bay on the South Coast, so field and plant work are in different places.
PetroSA · intrinsically safe
Intrinsically Safe Smartphone Supplier for PetroSA
PetroSA is South Africa's state-owned oil and gas company, a subsidiary of CEF SOC Limited. PetroSA was formed in January 2002 by merging Mossgas, Soekor and parts of the Strategic Fuel Fund Association, and was launched by President Thabo Mbeki that year. This page sets out how an intrinsically safe smartphone supply route to PetroSA 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
DeviceSmartphone
RouteSupply
WherePetroSA
Short answer. An intrinsically safe smartphone for PetroSA 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. 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 PetroSA
| 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 | PetroSA: Gas-to-liquids process units, Offshore platforms, Gas and condensate handling | Classified by the site operator |
Product · South Africa
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 South Africa. 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 · PetroSA
Working with The Petroleum, Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa (PetroSA): 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
- Mossel Bay GTL refinery
- FA production platform
- Bredasdorp Basin gas fields (F-A and E-M)
Classified areas
- Gas-to-liquids process units
- Offshore platforms
- Gas and condensate handling
Supplier approval · PetroSA
How suppliers reach PetroSA
PetroSA lists a supplier procurement portal on its website (procurement.petrosa.com); confirm current registration and equipment approval requirements with its procurement and HSE teams. 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 · PetroSA
More about PetroSA that matters for portable equipment
PetroSA: rules and approvals
In 2020 the Cabinet approved merging PetroSA with the Strategic Fuel Fund and iGas to form a new national petroleum company, so organisational names and contacts may change; check the current entity.
PetroSA: industry on the ground
Its gas-to-liquids refinery at Mossel Bay has a capacity of about 45,000 barrels a day and converts gas and condensate into liquid fuels and chemicals, a process plant with gas and liquid hazards.
PetroSA: rules and approvals
The Petroleum Agency of South Africa (PASA) is the state regulator for onshore and offshore oil and gas exploration, and was split out of Soekor when PetroSA was created.
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 PetroSA. Inspection rounds on GTL process units and gas and condensate handling suit a handheld designed for intrinsic safety, if its certificate allows use there. On the offshore FA platform and Bredasdorp Basin gas fields, access is by transport arranged by the operator. Plant status and permits at Mossel Bay are PetroSA's to confirm.
The route · supply
Sourcing the IS-04Z1 for PetroSA
There is no stock to order for PetroSA yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch, certification is in progress, and supply will run through authorised distributors after the certificates are issued. Procurement teams can prepare now with the datasheet, the certification schedule and a safe-area evaluation.
- 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 · PetroSA
Frequently asked questions
Can PetroSA 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 smartphone for PetroSA 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.
How does PetroSA approve suppliers?
PetroSA lists a supplier procurement portal on its website (procurement.petrosa.com); confirm current registration and equipment approval requirements with its procurement and HSE teams.
How will SAMS supply PetroSA?
Through authorised distributors once certificates exist. Until then SAMS can send the datasheet and certification schedule and arrange safe-area evaluation units.
Where would handheld intrinsically safe equipment be used at PetroSA?
The main classified areas are the offshore gas production units and the gas-to-liquids plant at Mossel Bay, with its process units, storage and loading. Exact zoning is set per installation, so ask PetroSA's HSE team for area classification drawings before specifying devices.
How does the coastal climate at Mossel Bay affect phone selection?
Mossel Bay is on the South Coast, so sea air brings salt and humidity that can corrode connectors and cases. Look for sealed ports, good ingress protection and corrosion-resistant materials, and ask the site about its own environmental requirements for portable electronics.
Is the Mossel Bay refinery operating at present?
The sheet notes search reports that it has been idle since 2020 with a phased restart planned, but this was not confirmed from a fetched page. Confirm current status with PetroSA. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and has no certificate, so no deployment can be planned yet.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for PetroSA and for South Africa.
IECEx Mobile Phone for PetroSASame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for PetroSASame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier for PetroSASame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Supplier for PetroSASame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for SasolElsewhere in South Africa
South Africa market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for South AfricaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · PetroSA
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for PetroSA, South Africa
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Enquiry · PetroSA
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for PetroSA?
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.