Sonatrach: infrastructure
Sonatrach runs over 3,900 km of crude oil pipelines, mainly carrying crude from Hassi Messaoud to export terminals, plus condensate and LPG networks linking Hassi R'Mel and other fields to Arzew.
Sonatrach · intrinsically safe
Intrinsically Safe Smartphone Supplier for Sonatrach
Sonatrach is Algeria's state-owned national hydrocarbons company, established in 1963. Around 2002 Sonatrach was reported to employ roughly 120,000 workers and produce about 30% of Algeria's national output, so it is by far the dominant industrial employer. This page sets out how an intrinsically safe smartphone supply route to Sonatrach 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
WhereSonatrach
Short answer. An intrinsically safe smartphone for Sonatrach 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 Sonatrach
| 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 | Sonatrach: Pipeline terminals, Oil and gas production facilities, Gas processing | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Algeria
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 Algeria. 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 · Sonatrach
Sonatrach (Societe Nationale pour la Recherche, la Production, le Transport, la Transformation et la Commercialisation des Hydrocarbures): 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
- Hassi Messaoud oil field
- Hassi R'Mel gas field
- Skikda
- Arzew
Classified areas
- Pipeline terminals
- Oil and gas production facilities
- Gas processing
- LNG liquefaction
Supplier approval · Sonatrach
Supplier registration at Sonatrach
Supplier registration and equipment approval are run by the organisation itself; confirm current 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 · Sonatrach
More about Sonatrach that matters for portable equipment
Sonatrach: projects and investment
In February 2022 Sonatrach signed a contract to build a 150,000 cubic metre LNG storage tank at the Skikda gas export terminal, adding a new cryogenic storage area to the coastal complex.
Sonatrach: projects and investment
Production began at the Tinrhert gas field at the end of 2022, expected to yield about 500 tonnes of liquefied gas and 800 tonnes of condensate a day, and the Hassi Bir Rekaiz field reached first oil in June 2022.
Sonatrach: logistics and access
Sonatrach holds 51% of the Medgaz pipeline to Spain, with Naturgy holding 49%, and works with Eni on the Transmed pipeline to Italy, so export gas flows through large compressor and metering stations.
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 Sonatrach. Operators on a Sonatrach site walk long routes between wellheads, gas processing areas, liquefaction trains and pipeline terminals. A handheld that is intrinsically safe by design could carry a camera and Android apps without a separate permit for each tool. The IS-04Z1 is designed for that, though certification is still in progress.
The route · supply
Sourcing the IS-04Z1 for Sonatrach
Nothing can be bought for Sonatrach 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 · Sonatrach
Frequently asked questions
Can Sonatrach buy the IS-04Z1 today?
No. Nothing can be bought or taken into a classified area today: certification is in progress and launch is planned for Q4 2026. What is available now is the datasheet, the written certification schedule and evaluation units for safe-area use.
What does an intrinsically safe smartphone for Sonatrach 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 Sonatrach approve suppliers?
Supplier registration and equipment approval are run by the organisation itself; confirm current requirements with its procurement and HSE teams.
How will SAMS supply Sonatrach?
Through authorised distributors once certificates exist. Until then SAMS can send the datasheet and certification schedule and arrange safe-area evaluation units.
How does Saharan heat and dust affect handheld devices?
Southern fields have extreme summer heat, large day-to-night temperature swings, sand and wind-blown dust. For handheld devices this means checking the rated operating temperature, dust ingress protection, thermal behaviour in direct sun and battery performance, and asking the site for its limits.
What language and documentation does Sonatrach expect?
Algerian industry works mainly in French and Arabic, with English used on international partnerships. Manuals, labels and training for hazardous-area devices are therefore commonly expected in French, and sometimes Arabic. Confirm the required language with Sonatrach's procurement and the relevant HSE team.
Does desert heat and sand affect an intrinsically safe phone?
Heat, dust and blowing sand are routine in Saharan fields, so ingress protection and battery behaviour in high temperatures matter. IP68 is designed to keep dust out but does not replace explosion protection. Check the device's stated operating temperature range and the area temperature class against site conditions before relying on it.
Related guides
Keep exploring
More on Sonatrach, and on other places in Algeria.
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for SonatrachSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier for SonatrachSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone for SonatrachSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone for SonatrachSame place, different guide
Algeria market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for AlgeriaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Sonatrach
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Sonatrach, Algeria
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 · Sonatrach
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Sonatrach?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.