Iraq: projects and investment
BP signed a preliminary agreement to develop four Kirkuk-region fields, which it estimates hold about nine billion barrels of recoverable oil, on a profit-sharing basis.
Iraq · rugged
Rugged Mobile Phone in Iraq
The IS-04Z1 is an intrinsically safe smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21, built for degassing stations, gas plants, refineries and terminals where a crew is a long way from a replacement. If you are specifying a rugged mobile phone for Iraq, this page covers the markings, the approvals and the current certification status of the IS-04Z1.
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 topicrugged
DeviceMobile Phone
RouteSpecification
WhereIraq
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Iraq: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
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 · rugged
Checklist: rugged mobile phone for Iraq
| 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 | Iraq: Rumaila, West Qurna, Zubair | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Iraq
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 Iraq. 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 market · Iraq
Where an Ex phone is used in Iraq
Operators and classified areas drawn from the SAMS Iraq market guide.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- Basra Oil Company
- The Ministry of Oil operator across the southern fields
- Rumaila Operating Organisation
- Joint operator of the Rumaila field for bp, PetroChina and BOC
- PetroChina
- Operator of West Qurna 1 since taking over in 2024
- Eni
- Development and operations at the Zubair field
- Basrah Gas Company
- South Gas Company, Shell and Mitsubishi associated gas venture
- Missan Oil Company
- The Missan fields and the Halfaya central gas processing plant
Industrial areas and sites
- Rumaila
- Iraq’s largest field, with degassing stations spread across it
- West Qurna
- Two adjacent super-giant developments north of Basra
- Zubair
- Field, degassing stations and associated gas handling
- Majnoon
- Field near the eastern border, operated by Basra Oil Company
- Halfaya
- Missan field with a central gas processing facility
- Khor Al-Zubair
- Gas plant, fertiliser and petrochemical zone and the port
Field notes · Iraq
More about Iraq that matters for portable equipment
Iraq: projects and investment
In December 2024 the Iraqi Cabinet approved a Basrah to Haditha oil pipeline project valued at about 4.56 billion dollars.
Iraq: logistics and access
Fields managed by Basra Oil Company exported about 3.23 million barrels a day from southern terminals in December 2024, nearly all of Iraq's export volume that month.
Iraq: climate and equipment wear
Summers from May to October are very hot and dry, with temperatures above 46 degrees Celsius, and dry dusty winds, while winters are wetter and cooler.
The term · rugged
What “rugged” means for a smartphone
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 Iraq. Basra is among the hottest inhabited places in July, and the crude is sour, with a long supply chain behind each site. IP68 sealing helps with dust and water ingress. It is not explosion protection, which must come from certification. Heat exposure and battery behaviour should be tested on a trial unit.
The route · specification
Specifying a rugged mobile phone for Iraq
A short checklist for anyone writing or reviewing the specification, with the IS-04Z1 status against each point.
Check on the paper
- Marking
- Equipment group, category, protection concept, gas group and temperature class, matched to the area drawing.
- Certificate and schedule
- A certificate number, issuing body and the schedule of conditions, not a brochure claim.
- Standards edition
- The IEC 60079 or national standard edition the certificate was issued against.
Check for the IS-04Z1
- Marking target
- II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4: a target, not yet a certificate.
- Certificate status
- IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 in progress; none issued.
- Operator approval
- Separate from the certificate and handled with the site operator.
Questions · Iraq
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy a rugged mobile phone in Iraq 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 a rugged mobile phone in Iraq 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.
How rugged is the IS-04Z1?
It is designed to IP68 sealing, with glove-friendly controls. Ruggedness is not explosion protection: that depends on the certificates, which are in progress.
Which sites in Iraq does this cover?
The market guide for Iraq covers Rumaila, West Qurna, Zubair, Majnoon, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
Is intrinsically safe the same as explosion proof?
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.
Who is the right contact for supplier registration?
State oil companies run their own supplier procedures through procurement and HSE teams, and international contractors on the fields have their own. Ask the end user which company's rules apply before you ship equipment.
Do phones and radios need CMC type approval in Iraq?
Yes. Iraq's Communications and Media Commission issues type approval certificates, normally valid for one year, and the process uses a registered local partner. A new certificate format with a QR code was adopted in August 2026, so check current requirements.
Will a handset cope with Basra summer heat?
The IS-04Z1 is designed with IP68 sealing for industrial duty, but heat affects any battery. Ask for the datasheet's operating range and test a unit on a real summer round. Site rules on charging and storage in safe areas still apply.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for Iraq and for Iraq.
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone in IraqSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone in IraqSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone Distributor in IraqSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone in IraqSame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone Distributor in IraqSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone in IraqSame place, different guide
Iraq market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for IraqEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Iraq
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Iraq
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 · Iraq
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Iraq?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.