Salt air and constant wind
The deck sees salt spray and sustained heat. IP68 sealing and rugged build are the design response, and the temperature class and ambient range on the certificate are what an instrumentation engineer checks.
Nigeria · Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production
Explosion proof mobile phone for Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production in Nigeria
Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production, known as SNEPCo, operates the deepwater Bonga field offshore Nigeria. An explosion proof mobile phone for Shell Nigeria deepwater work has to survive an FPSO, a supply vessel transfer and a long rotation, which is what this page covers. The IS-04Z1 is designed around intrinsic safety rather than a flameproof enclosure.
Launching Q4 2026 · certification programme in progress
Local approvalIECExIECEx · in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
The site · Bonga
Where an explosion proof mobile phone is needed on Bonga
Bonga, in licence OML 118, is Nigeria's first deepwater development and has produced since 2005 through a floating production, storage and offloading vessel moored roughly 120 kilometres off the Niger Delta coast in about a thousand metres of water. SNEPCo is operator, with Esso and Nigerian Agip as partners alongside NNPC Limited. Two further developments are in play. Bonga North, a subsea tie-back to the existing FPSO, took its final investment decision in late 2024. Bonga South West Aparo is, according to press reports, still moving towards a decision, and would need its own FPSO. Since Shell's 2024 sale of its onshore business to Renaissance Africa Energy, deepwater is where SNEPCo's activity concentrates. A deepwater FPSO is a Zone 1 and Zone 2 environment on the process deck, the turret and the offloading area, with dust a minor concern except in blasting and paint work.
Operator, partners and contractors
- SNEPCo
- Operator of OML 118 and the Bonga FPSO.
- NNPC Limited
- Holder of the state's interest in the production sharing contract.
- Esso and Nigerian Agip
- Partners in OML 118, alongside SNEPCo and NNPC.
- FPSO and marine contractors
- Crew for operations, maintenance, marine and catering on rotation.
- Subsea and installation contractors
- Vessels and ROV crews for Bonga North tie-back work.
- Nigerian service companies
- Shore base, logistics and fabrication, shaped by Nigerian content rules.
Classified units and areas
- FPSO process deck
- Separation, gas compression and export under Zone 1 and Zone 2 classification.
- Turret and swivel area
- Where risers connect to the vessel.
- Cargo tanks and offloading
- Crude storage tank vapour and tanker offloading to shuttle tankers.
- Flare and vent areas
- Relief and gas disposal, with gas group IIA and IIB hydrocarbons.
- Subsea tie-back works
- Vessels working over live subsea infrastructure.
- Supply base and heliport
- Shore side logistics with fuel and vessels alongside.
- Accommodation and control room
- Safe area where phones are enrolled and charged.
Built for local conditions
What deepwater does to a handset
On an FPSO the gas group is rarely the problem. Weather, rotation and the people carrying the phone are.
IP ratingIP68
Battery4,000 mAh
Camera50 MP
OSAndroid 16
A rotation that hands over every few weeks
On a fixed crew rotation, what is not written down is lost at handover. A handset that holds photographs and permit status helps outgoing technicians leave a record for the incoming shift.
Wi-Fi first, cellular second
Offshore the carrier signal is poor, and the vessel network does the work. The device carries Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC alongside 4G LTE, and four constellation GNSS gives a position on the deck or the subsea field vessel.
A full shift away from a charger
Crews on deck are away from a safe charging point for hours. The 4,000 mAh battery is sized for a working shift with camera, torch and location in use.
A fleet that must stay under control
Devices move between crews and contractors on a vessel with limited bandwidth. Android Enterprise management supports enrolment, lock and wipe from an existing console.
Use cases · Bonga
Where the IS-04Z1 goes to work on SNEPCo assets.
Operations01
Process deck rounds
An operator on the FPSO records readings, photographs a leak and reports it from the deck. A permitted handset replaces the radio and paper check sheet carried through the classified area.
Maintenance02
Planned maintenance and permits
Technicians close permit steps and send photographs from the work front on deck, rather than returning to the control room. Handover notes remain on the device for the next shift.
Projects03
Tie-back and hook-up campaigns
Bonga North brings installation vessels and extra crew. A managed fleet gives the project team control of who has a device, which apps run and what is photographed.
Approvals · Bonga
What an offshore operator will ask of a supplier
Offshore operators run their own HSE standards and equipment reviews, and the registration detail for SNEPCo should come from SNEPCo directly. Ask the operator's procurement and HSE teams what they require before a device is allowed on an installation: normally the IECEx certificate, the marking and ambient range, a transfer and handling procedure for helicopters and vessels, and a maintenance route. In Nigeria the SONCAP and NCC steps and Nigerian content documentation apply on top. SAMS has no supply relationship with Shell or its partners.
- Ex evidence
- IECEx certificate, in progress ahead of Q4 2026.
- Transport
- Operator rules on devices carried by helicopter and vessel.
- Import
- SON certificate, SONCAP and NCC type approval.
- Local content
- Supply through a registered Nigerian partner.
Questions · Bonga
Frequently asked questions
Is Bonga South West Aparo under construction?
Not according to press reports, which describe a project moving through front end engineering and fiscal approvals towards a decision. This page treats it as a possible future development, not a live site.
Did Shell sell its Nigerian business?
Shell sold its onshore Niger Delta joint venture to Renaissance Africa Energy in 2024. SNEPCo continues to operate deepwater assets, which is the focus here.
Can a handset travel offshore by helicopter?
That is governed by the helicopter operator and the installation's HSE rules, not by the handset. Ask the operator for the carriage policy and check it against the device's battery and radio details.
Does SNEPCo use the IS-04Z1?
No. SAMS has no agreement, pilot or order with SNEPCo or its partners; this page covers what the device is designed for.
Enquiry · Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production, Nigeria
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 Nigeria. 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 · Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production
Launching Q4 2026
Evaluating the IS-04Z1 for this site?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule for your market.