Distances inside the fence
A round at Kårstø or Kollsnes covers several hectares of units, and the nearest safe-area charging point can be a long walk. The 4,000 mAh battery is specified to cover a shift.
Norway · Gassco
Explosion proof mobile phone for Gassco in Norway
Gassco is the operator of the Norwegian gas transport system, Gassled, and runs the three processing plants at Kårstø, Kollsnes and Nyhamna on behalf of the owners. This page is for the HSE and operations teams at those plants who need an explosion proof mobile phone for Norway's coastal gas sites. The IS-04Z1 is designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21; its ATEX and IECEx certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch. The IS-04Z1 is designed around intrinsic safety rather than a flameproof enclosure.
Launching Q4 2026 · certification programme in progress
Local approvalATEX · IECExATEX 2014/34/EU through the EEA · in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
The sites · Gassco
The three plants where Norway lands its gas
Gassco does not own the gas or the pipelines; it operates the system that moves gas from the shelf to Europe. Its three plants are the places where a handset matters. Kårstø, north of Stavanger, takes gas and condensate from the central shelf and separates it into dry gas for export and natural gas liquids; the oldest parts of the plant opened in 1985. Kollsnes, west of Bergen, has handled Troll gas since 1996. Nyhamna in Aukra takes Ormen Lange gas and, through the Polarled pipeline, gas from Aasta Hansteen, and it began operating in 2007. All three combine compression, processing and export. Day-to-day technical services at each plant are provided under contract, so who employs the people on a given round varies; confirm it with Gassco.
Plants and transport system
- Kårstø
- Gas processing, NGL fractionation and a marine export terminal in north Rogaland.
- Kollsnes
- Troll gas processing and compression on the coast west of Bergen.
- Nyhamna
- Ormen Lange and Aasta Hansteen gas processing in Aukra, Møre og Romsdal.
- Gassled
- The jointly owned pipeline and plant network that Gassco operates.
- Head office near Haugesund
- Planning, capacity allocation and nominations; not a classified site.
Classified areas inside the fence
- Compressor halls
- Large gas compression units, with Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas around seals and vents.
- Process and fractionation units
- Separators, columns and heat exchangers, with a lot of pipework at height.
- Liquid storage and ship loading
- NGL and condensate storage and the jetty at Kårstø; heavier-than-air vapour collects at low points.
- Flare and relief systems
- Release points and drains that are part of the area classification.
- Control and electrical buildings
- Safe areas, but entering from the process side involves an airlock and device rules.
Built for local conditions
What a coastal gas plant asks of an explosion proof mobile phone
A processing plant is a large, continuous process site, not a remote rig. That changes what is useful.
IP ratingIP68
Battery4,000 mAh
Camera50 MP
OSAndroid 16
Weather off the coast
All three plants sit by the sea. IP68 sealing and rugged build suit rain, sleet and salt air that blow in off the water.
Gas groups beyond methane
Natural gas liquids and condensate are handled at Kårstø, and some process streams contain hydrogen or other gases. The marking target of II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4 is set at the broadest gas group so one handset suits the whole plant.
Work patterns · Gassco
How work is organised and what procurement will ask
The plants run continuously, with shift operators on rounds and a planned maintenance programme. Gassco publishes planned maintenance on the transport system in advance, and these shutdown windows are when hundreds of contractors arrive in a short period, each needing site induction and equipment checks at the gate. Most of the year, though, the user is an operator or technician on a normal round.
Gassco is among the operators that share the Norwegian shelf supplier qualification register, Magnet JQS, formerly EPIM JQS. Whether Ex equipment is acceptable on a plant is decided through the operator's technical requirements and its equipment register. SAMS has not applied for or received that acceptance. Ask Gassco's procurement and HSE teams for the current process.
Operations01
Operator rounds on process units
The operator photographs a gauge or leak, logs a reading and reports it by voice from one device, without leaving the unit to use a safe-area computer.
Shutdowns02
Contractor campaigns during planned outages
At shutdown the plant gets a large temporary workforce. Contractors can be enrolled to a restricted profile, issued the job pack, and have the device wiped when they demobilise.
Marine03
Ship loading at the jetty
Loading NGL and condensate creates a hazardous zone around the manifold. A handset that holds a Zone 1 rating lets the loading supervisor communicate and record without a separate radio.
Questions · Gassco
Frequently asked questions
Does Gassco operate the plants alone?
Gassco is the operator, but day-to-day technical services at each plant are provided under contract, and the owners are the Gassled partners. For a device evaluation this means more than one organisation may need to be involved: Gassco, the technical service provider and the contractor.
Would the IS-04Z1 cover a compressor hall?
A compressor hall is typically a Zone 1 or Zone 2 area, depending on the plant's classification drawings. The device is designed for Zone 1, but it is not yet certified, and no unit goes into a classified area before the covering certificate exists.
Can SAMS supply a unit for a trial at Kårstø, Kollsnes or Nyhamna?
Evaluation units go out under a trial agreement and a trial in a classified area needs the operator's permission. A sensible first step is an enrolment and handover trial in a safe area, with the Ex certificate schedule supplied for the site's equipment review.
Enquiry · Gassco
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Gassco, Norway
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 Norway. 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 · Gassco
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.