Portugal: who works there
Galp Energia, formed in 1999 from Petrogal, Gás de Portugal and Transgás, is Portugal's largest oil and gas group, with business units covering upstream, refining and midstream, commercial, and renewables.
The IS-04Z1 is an intrinsically safe Android handset designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21, aimed at the refining and polymer complex at Sines, the chemical plants at Estarreja and the pulp, cement and mining sites in between. This page explains what to look for in a rugged cell phone for Portugal, and where the IS-04Z1 stands against that list today.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Portugal: 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. A buyer's engineering review is separate from the certificate. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Ingress protection | IP65 to IP68 sealing | IP68 design |
| Drop and shock | A stated drop height onto concrete | Specification on request |
| Explosion protection | A separate certificate and marking | In progress; not issued |
| Where it applies | Portugal: Sines, ZILS Alentejo, Estarreja | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Portugal. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
The classified areas, operators and sites below are the ones covered in the SAMS Portugal market guide.
Galp Energia, formed in 1999 from Petrogal, Gás de Portugal and Transgás, is Portugal's largest oil and gas group, with business units covering upstream, refining and midstream, commercial, and renewables.
The Sines hard coal power plant operated from 1985-1989 until January 2021 and coal-fired generation ended in 2021, so former coal sites are being redeveloped.
Oil made up 44% of Portugal's total energy supply in 2023, so fuel storage, port terminals and distribution depots form a large part of the classified-area infrastructure.
In 2021 Portugal imported 2.8 billion cubic metres of LNG from Nigeria, almost 50% of its gas imports that year, so ship-to-shore LNG operations are central to gas supply.
A rugged phone is built to survive water, dust, drops and rough handling, usually rated by an IP code and a drop specification. Ruggedness is an environmental property: it says nothing about whether a phone may be used where flammable gas or dust is present. That is decided by explosion-protection certification and marking.
The IS-04Z1 combines both: an IP68 sealed rugged build and a design for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4). The explosion-protection certificates are in progress and none has been issued.
In Portugal. Portugal brings Atlantic weather and wash-down to Sines, the Sado and the Aveiro lagoon, plus fine powder in pulp and cement areas. IP68 sealing and a rugged build address wet and dusty rounds. They do not provide explosion protection, which comes from the certified marking once issued.
A short checklist for anyone writing or reviewing the specification, with the IS-04Z1 status against each point.
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.
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.
It is designed to IP68 sealing, with glove-friendly controls. Ruggedness is not explosion protection: that depends on the certificates, which are in progress.
The market guide for Portugal covers Sines, ZILS Alentejo, Estarreja, Matosinhos and Leça, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
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.
Atlantic coastal sites are salt-laden and summers can be hot, so check the maximum ambient temperature on the certificate, the water and dust ingress rating and the condition of charging contacts. Sealed connectors and regular cleaning are typically recommended for coastal terminals.
Portugal has a hydrogen strategy aimed at reducing gas imports by 2030, so hydrogen projects may create new classified areas. Hydrogen belongs to a more demanding gas group than propane, so check the gas group marking of a device against the project's area classification.
Sites such as Sines or the Alentejo interior can be far from anyone who services equipment, so a reachable service route matters. SAMS has appointed no distributor yet. Before purchase, ask what repair, replacement and battery support would be available for your plant, and agree it in writing.
More on Portugal, and on other places in Portugal.
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.