Operator-led access
Major fields are run by the state operator or joint operating organisations, and site entry is normally controlled through operator-issued permits.
Umm Qasr, Iraq's main deep-water port, opened in July 1967 and is linked by railway to Basra and Baghdad. Super-giant onshore fields such as Rumaila and Majnoon lie in the governorate, and most crude is exported through the Al Basrah Oil Terminal, so Zone 1 work is routine across the area. This page explains what to look for in a rugged mobile phone for Basra, 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 Basra: 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 | Basra: Degassing and gathering stations, Wellheads and flowlines, Gas processing plants | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Basra. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
Who operates there and which kinds of classified area a handset would meet, from the SAMS site research.
Major fields are run by the state operator or joint operating organisations, and site entry is normally controlled through operator-issued permits.
Rumaila lies roughly 50 km south-west of Basra and other fields are further out, so crews travel long distances between sites.
The city is consistently one of the hottest on the planet, with summer temperatures regularly above 50 degrees Celsius, so heat management is a safety factor for outdoor work.
Southern terminals exported about 3.23 million barrels a day in December 2024, so tank farms, pump stations and metering systems are heavily used.
Basra Oil Company, headquartered in Basra, handles exploration, drilling, production, storage and export in the south and was previously known as the Iraqi South Oil Company.
Majnoon is held by Basra Oil Company (45 percent), Petronas (30 percent) and Missan Oil Company (25 percent) and produces around 245,000 barrels a day.
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 Basra. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 50 C and humidity can pass 90 per cent, which stresses battery life and thermal limits. IP68 is designed to keep out dust and immersion water, which helps in dusty, humid field work, but it is not a substitute for explosion protection. Treat temperature class and permitted ambient range as separate questions.
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.
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.
It is designed to IP68 sealing, with glove-friendly controls. Ruggedness is not explosion protection: that depends on the certificates, which are in progress.
Likely candidates are degassing and gathering stations, wellheads and flowlines, gas processing plants, crude storage and export terminals. Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
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.
Summer temperatures regularly exceed 50 degrees Celsius, with high humidity near the coast. Devices should have a wide operating temperature range, and teams need heat plans for outdoor work.
Umm Qasr is Iraq's main deep-water port and is linked to Basra by railway; projects such as the Grand Faw Port are changing logistics in the area. Plan for customs and escort procedures with the operator's logistics team.
High ambient temperature shortens battery life and can limit the temperature range allowed on the certificate. Keep the phone out of direct sun, carry a spare charged in a safe area and read the permitted ambient range once the IS-04Z1 certificate exists. Confirm site rules with the operator.
Related guides for Basra and for Iraq.
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.