SOCAR: projects and investment
SOCAR has explored the Umid and Bulla Deniz gas fields and signed a 2014 agreement for the shallow-water Absheron Peninsula area, so offshore gas development continues near Baku.
SOCAR · intrinsically safe
Intrinsically Safe Smartphone Supplier for SOCAR
SOCAR is Azerbaijan's fully state-owned oil and gas company, founded in 1992 and based in Baku. The Sangachal Terminal, about 45 km south of Baku, receives hydrocarbons from the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli and Shah Deniz fields and feeds the export pipelines to Turkey and Europe. Buyers searching for an intrinsically safe smartphone supplier for SOCAR can take the datasheet and the certification schedule for the IS-04Z1 now; supply follows certification.
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
WhereSOCAR
Short answer. An intrinsically safe smartphone for SOCAR 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.
For the record, no certificate exists for the IS-04Z1 today. The programme is under way ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. 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 SOCAR
| 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 | SOCAR: Petrochemical plants, Gas processing, Offshore production platforms | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Azerbaijan
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 Azerbaijan. 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 · SOCAR
State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) and the IS-04Z1
Where it operates and the kinds of classified area a handset would meet there.
Sites and areas
- Baku (Heydar Aliyev refinery)
- Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli offshore complex (SOCAR holds a stake)
- Sumgayit petrochemicals (Azerikimya)
- STAR refinery, Izmir, Turkiye
Classified areas
- Offshore production platforms
- Refinery process units
- Petrochemical plants
- Gas processing
Supplier approval · SOCAR
Becoming an approved supplier to SOCAR
SOCAR's website has a dedicated procurement section covering procurement notices, standards and pre-qualification requirements; suppliers follow the process published there. 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 · SOCAR
More about SOCAR that matters for portable equipment
SOCAR: background
SOCAR was created on 13 September 1992 by merging Azerineft State Concern and the Azerneftkimiya Production Association, and it is headquartered in Baku as a fully state-owned company.
SOCAR: geography and layout
Azerbaijan has 57 oil fields, 18 of them offshore in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, and much of SOCAR's revenue comes from the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli complex and the Shah Deniz gas field.
SOCAR: industry on the ground
SOCAR operates two oil refineries, including the Heydar Aliyev Baku Oil Refinery, and one gas processing plant; the Azerneftyagh refinery processes 21 of the 24 grades of Azerbaijani crude.
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 SOCAR. Turnarounds and daily rounds at refinery process units, petrochemical plants and gas processing areas call for photographing, tag reading and permit paperwork in the field. A handheld designed as intrinsically safe could carry that on one device. The IS-04Z1 is designed for such work, with certification still in progress.
The route · supply
Sourcing the IS-04Z1 for SOCAR
Nothing can be bought for SOCAR 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 · SOCAR
Frequently asked questions
Can SOCAR 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 SOCAR 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 SOCAR approve suppliers?
SOCAR's website has a dedicated procurement section covering procurement notices, standards and pre-qualification requirements; suppliers follow the process published there.
How will SAMS supply SOCAR?
Through authorised distributors once certificates exist. Until then SAMS can send the datasheet and certification schedule and arrange safe-area evaluation units.
Where would intrinsically safe phones be used at SOCAR?
Typical uses include offshore platforms in the Caspian, the Sangachal Terminal, the Baku and Azerneftyagh refineries, the gas processing plant and oil terminals. Zone classification is site-specific, so ask each facility for its area drawings and its portable-electronics policy before specifying devices.
How do Caspian offshore conditions affect device choice?
Caspian platforms combine salt-laden or humid air, wind and limited space with Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas, and winter weather can cut logistics. For handheld devices check ingress protection, corrosion resistance and battery behaviour, and confirm environmental limits with the platform operator.
Where does a supplier find SOCAR's procurement requirements?
SOCAR's website has a procurement section covering notices, standards and pre-qualification requirements, and suppliers follow the published process. Requirements change, so confirm them with SOCAR directly. The IS-04Z1 is in certification and no certificate has been issued, which a pre-qualification file would need to state honestly.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for SOCAR and for Azerbaijan.
IECEx Mobile Phone for SOCARSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone for SOCARSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier for SOCARSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone for SOCARSame place, different guide
Azerbaijan market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for AzerbaijanEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · SOCAR
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for SOCAR, Azerbaijan
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 · SOCAR
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for SOCAR?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.