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Algeria · Zone 1 / Zone 21

Explosion proof phone for Algeria: oil, gas and LNG

A Zone 1 / Zone 21 smartphone for crews in the Hassi Messaoud and Hassi R'Mel fields, the Saharan gas plants and the LNG, refining and petrochemical complexes at Arzew and Skikda. It is pre-launch: the IECEx certification programme is under way, with the Algerian radio and supply steps set out below. Often searched for as an “explosion proof phone”, the IS-04Z1 uses intrinsic safety as its protection concept.

Launching Q4 2026 · IECEx certification programme in progress

Request the datasheetBook an evaluation unit
SAMS IS-04Z1 explosion proof mobile phone, front view
Local approvalIECExIECEx · in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
Algeria
IECEx · ARPCEIECExATEX 2014/34/EUNEC 500 Class I Div 1IP68Zone 1 / Zone 21Android 16Qualcomm Snapdragon
Where it works · Algeria

Where it is designed to work in Algeria

Classified area work in Algeria splits between the Saharan fields, where oil and gas are produced and processed far from the coast, and the Mediterranean industrial ports of Arzew and Skikda, where gas is liquefied, refined and turned into petrochemicals and fertiliser.

Operators and contractors such as Sonatrach, Eni and TotalEnergies need an explosion proof mobile phone they can carry into classified areas at Hassi Messaoud, Ouargla, Hassi R'Mel, Laghouat and In Amenas, Illizi. The IS-04Z1 is designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 duty there.

Operators, EPCs and contractors

Sonatrach
National oil and gas company: upstream, LNG, refining and pipelines
Eni
Partner in Berkine basin oil and southern gas developments
TotalEnergies
Partner in Saharan oil and gas developments with Sonatrach
Equinor
Partner in the In Amenas and In Salah gas joint ventures
Occidental
Partner in Berkine basin oil production
Naftal
Fuel storage depots, distribution and LPG filling
Sonelgaz
Gas-fired power generation and gas distribution
Sorfert and Fertial
Ammonia and urea production at Arzew and Annaba
ENTP, ENAFOR and ENGTP
Sonatrach drilling and construction subsidiaries

Industrial areas and sites

Hassi Messaoud, Ouargla
Algeria's largest oil field and its operations base
Hassi R'Mel, Laghouat
The main gas field and gas processing hub
In Amenas, Illizi
Gas processing in the eastern Sahara
In Salah, Tamanrasset
Southern gas fields and processing
Arzew and Bethioua, Oran
LNG trains, refinery, petrochemicals and fertiliser
Skikda
LNG, the country's largest refinery and polyethylene
Algiers
Refinery, fuel depots and product storage
Bejaia
Crude oil export terminal on the Mediterranean
Built for local conditions

Built for Algerian operating conditions

The Algerian problem is the Sahara: summer heat that pushes ordinary electronics past their limits, sand and dust on the wind, and long distances between camp, plant and wellsite.

For evaluators in Algeria, the IS-04Z1 explosion proof mobile phone is designed around these points: Saharan heat and wide swings; Gas group for plant and LNG atmospheres; Sand, dust and vehicle travel; A full shift away from a charger; Coverage that thins out in the desert; Control over a shared fleet.

IP ratingIP68
Battery4,000 mAh
Camera50 MP
OSAndroid 16

Saharan heat and wide swings

Summer ambients in the southern fields can pass 45 degrees, with cold desert nights. IP68 sealing keeps sand out, and the certificate will state the ambient range the device is approved for.

Gas group for plant and LNG atmospheres

Hydrocarbon service here is mostly Group IIA, with IIB on some process units. A marking target of Ex ib IIC covers those, so one specification runs from a wellsite to an LNG jetty.

Sand, dust and vehicle travel

Devices ride in pickups between wellsites and get dropped on hardstanding. The handset has a rugged build, and the Zone 21 design covers combustible dust at the coastal plants.

A full shift away from a charger

Wellsites, manifolds and pipeline stations offer no safe area socket mid shift. The 4,000 mAh battery is sized for a working day with camera, torch and GNSS in use.

Coverage that thins out in the desert

Away from camps the carrier signal is patchy. The device falls back to plant Wi-Fi, and four constellation GNSS fixes a position where there are no landmarks to describe.

Control over a shared fleet

Handsets pass between rotations, contractors and camps. Android 16 with EMM and MDM support gives enrolment, remote lock and remote wipe, with French language profiles where crews need them.

Approvals in Algeria

Certification programme ahead of Q4 2026 launch.

Sonatrach and its international partners specify Ex equipment to IEC standards, so the IECEx Certificate of Conformity, with ATEX alongside it, is the evidence that reaches site. That certification is in progress.

In progress

IECEx

Ex basis for AlgeriaIECEx · in progress
In progress

IECEx

International Electrotechnical CommissionZone 1 · Zone 21 · Gas · Dust
In progress

ATEX

EU Directive 2014/34/EUII 2 G Ex ib IIC T4
In progress

NEC 500

National Electrical CodeClass I Div 1 · North America
Regulatory route · Algeria

What your HSE and procurement teams will ask for.

The certificate HSE and engineering teams in Algeria ask for is an internationally recognised Ex certificate: the IECEx Certificate of Conformity, and the ATEX certificate where a specification names the European directive. Oversight of hydrocarbon activities sits with the Autorité de Régulation des Hydrocarbures, but the requirement that reaches site is the operator equipment specification, usually written by Sonatrach or a joint venture.

Two Algerian steps sit alongside it. Radio equipment needs homologation by ARPCE, the post and electronic communications regulator, before it is imported and used. Procurement by Sonatrach and its partners favours suppliers working through a locally registered company, and documentation in French is expected on site.

Use cases · Algeria

Where the IS-04Z1 explosion proof mobile phone goes to work.

Typical Zone 1 and Zone 21 duty for the IS-04Z1 explosion proof mobile phone in Algeria includes: Field rounds across Hassi Messaoud and Hassi R'Mel; Gas plants in the eastern and southern Sahara; Turnarounds at Arzew and Skikda; Crude and product loading at the export terminals.

Upstream01

Field rounds across Hassi Messaoud and Hassi R'Mel

Wellsites and gathering stations are spread across hundreds of square kilometres. A permitted handset puts the photograph, the reading and the permit sign-off at the equipment instead of back at camp.

Gas processing02

Gas plants in the eastern and southern Sahara

At In Amenas, In Salah and the other processing plants, compression and treatment trains are classified areas. Technicians log a defect with an image and a coordinate as they find it.

LNG and refining03

Turnarounds at Arzew and Skikda

LNG trains, refineries and petrochemical units concentrate contractor hours into short shutdown windows. Supervisors clear hold points and close permits from the work front.

Terminals and marine04

Crude and product loading at the export terminals

Loading at Arzew, Skikda and Bejaia puts people on jetties and tank tops with vapour present and a berthing window to hold.

How to buy · Algeria

How to evaluate and buy in Algeria

Nothing ships before certification completes, and the radio homologation and import paperwork has to be ready at the same time as the certificate.

  1. 01

    Send the site details and operator specification

    Tell us the zone, the gas group, the temperature class and where the fleet will work, and send the operator device clause if there is one.

  2. 02

    Take the datasheet and certificate schedule

    You get the technical datasheet and a written schedule of which certifications are in progress and in what order, ready to attach to a technical bid.

  3. 03

    Book an evaluation unit or join the pilot programme

    Once certification permits release, units go to sites that have registered a requirement. A pilot with your own SIM, MDM and permit system settles what a specification comparison cannot.

  4. 04

    Supply through an Algerian partner

    Supply runs through a locally registered partner with Sonatrach vendor registration, handling ARPCE homologation and customs clearance as part of delivery. Devices here are bought against mobilisation, so tell us your date.

Questions · Algeria

Frequently asked questions

Asking about a site in Algeria?

Send your site, zone and gas group, and we will answer for your plant rather than in general.

Ask about Algeria →
Is the IS-04Z1 approved for use in Algeria yet?

No. The device is pre-launch and the IECEx certification programme is in progress, as is every other scheme. Nothing should be planned into a classified area until the Certificate of Conformity exists.

Which certificate will Sonatrach or a joint venture ask to see?

The IECEx Certificate of Conformity in almost every case, because the Algerian operators and their partners specify to IEC standards. An ATEX certificate is issued in parallel where a specification names the European directive.

Does the phone need ARPCE approval?

Yes. It carries 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC radios, so homologation by ARPCE is required and forms part of the launch programme alongside the Ex certification.

Is documentation available in French?

Yes. The user manual and safe use instructions will be supplied in French and English, and MDM profiles can be configured in French for crews who need them.

Will it cope with Saharan summer heat?

It is designed for desert operation with IP68 sealing. The certified ambient temperature range is stated on the certificate and will be published when it is issued, so check it against your site maximum before planning summer use.

Can it be used at the LNG plants?

It is designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 with a marking target of Ex ib IIC T4, which covers the gas groups found in LNG service. Operator management of change still applies.

When will units be available, and who repairs them?

Launch is Q4 2026. Warranty and service run through the Algerian partner SAMS is appointing, and repair of certified Ex equipment must be done by a recognised facility.

What is the price of an explosion proof phone in Algeria?

No list price is published before the certificates exist. Pricing is quoted in writing against quantity and configuration through the Algerian partner, and landed cost depends on import and homologation steps, so it is set with the channel rather than published.

Enquiry · Algeria

Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Algeria

Tell us the site, the zone and gas group, and roughly how many handsets. The SAMS team replies by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule for Algeria. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and certification is in progress, so there is no list price yet; indicative pricing is issued in writing against a stated quantity and site.

Enquiry · Algeria

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Distribution · Algeria

Seeking partners in Algeria and North Africa.

We are appointing an Algerian channel partner with Sonatrach vendor registration, French speaking technical staff and genuine service capability, ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.

Apply to distributeDistributor programme
Regional office
Algeria (partner)
Languages
Arabic · French · English
Registered
United Kingdom
Find your route

Ex phone guides for Algeria

Buyers look for the IS-04Z1 in Algeria in different ways. Each guide below answers one buyer search honestly: what the term means, the route to buy, and where certification stands today.

ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone in AlgeriaGuide IECEx Smartphone Distributor in AlgeriaGuide Explosion-Proof Cell Phone Supplier in AlgeriaGuide Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone in AlgeriaGuide Hazardous Area Smartphone Distributor in AlgeriaGuide Industrial Cell Phone Supplier in AlgeriaGuide Ex-Proof Mobile Phone in AlgeriaGuide Rugged Smartphone Distributor in AlgeriaGuide Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone for SonatrachGuide See all 88 guides for AlgeriaEvery route we cover