Oil, Gas & Hazardous Areas

Explosion-Protected Tablets for Oil, Gas & Hazardous Areas

Oil and gas facilities require mobile computers that match the hazardous-area classification of the location where they will be used. CENAVA provides explosion-protected and intrinsically safe tablets for inspection, maintenance, asset identification, digital work orders and field data collection in refineries, tank farms, chemical plants, terminals, drilling operations and other classified environments.

Available certification and protection configurations vary by model. The right device is the one whose zone, gas or dust group, temperature class and EPL match your site — we check it against the nameplate and the certificate, not the brochure.

Why Standard Mobile Devices May Not Be Suitable in Hazardous Areas

A refinery, chemical plant or oil and gas facility may contain locations where flammable gases, vapours or combustible dust can create a potentially explosive atmosphere.

Electrical equipment used in these classified locations must be appropriate for the specific hazardous-area requirements.

A standard consumer tablet, smartphone or laptop is not automatically suitable simply because it has a rugged enclosure or a high IP rating. Electrical circuits, batteries, connectors, radios and surface temperatures can all become relevant ignition considerations.

This creates a practical problem for field teams.

Inspectors and maintenance technicians increasingly need digital access to:

Inspection checklists
Work orders
Equipment manuals
Asset histories
P&IDs and technical drawings
Photographs
Maintenance records
Electronic permits
Barcode and RFID information
Real-time field reports

Moving repeatedly between a classified work area and a safe office just to enter data reduces efficiency and can introduce delays or transcription errors.

The solution is not simply a stronger tablet. It is a mobile computer with an explosion-protection configuration that matches the actual hazardous-area classification.

Certified Mobile Computing for Hazardous Areas

CENAVA offers hazardous-area tablets in different explosion-protection configurations for oil, gas, petrochemical, chemical and industrial applications.

Per model and certification package, the -EX line carries intrinsically safe markings such as:

Ex ib IIC T4 Gb
Ex ib IIC T5 Gb
Ex ib IIIC configurations for combustible-dust environments
Additional hazardous-area or mining configurations for selected models

The exact certification scope varies between products and markets.

So never spec from a family name like "explosion-proof tablet." Read the complete Ex marking and the certificate that goes with it — we send both with the quotation.

Understanding Zone 1 and Zone 2 Requirements

Zone classification describes how likely an explosive gas atmosphere is to be present.

For mobile equipment, the protection level shown on the device is especially important.

An intrinsically safe device marked with an appropriate Gb Equipment Protection Level is typically associated with Zone 1 applications and can also be used in Zone 2 where the remaining certification requirements are satisfied.

A Gc configuration covers Zone 2 only — Zone 1 requires Gb (or Ga). If the site classification later moves part of the route from Zone 2 to Zone 1, the Gc device does not move with it.

The distinction matters when specifying equipment.

For example, Ex ib IIC T4 Gb provides several pieces of information: ib marks the intrinsically safe protection technique, IIC the gas group, T4 a maximum surface temperature of 135°C, and Gb the Equipment Protection Level for Zone 1.

Ex — explosion-protected equipment
ib — intrinsic safety protection level
IIC — gas group
T4 — temperature class
Gb — Equipment Protection Level for gas atmospheres

A purchasing specification should therefore request the required marking rather than simply asking for an “ATEX tablet” or an “explosion-proof tablet.”

Intrinsic Safety for Mobile Devices

Intrinsic safety is one method of explosion protection used for electrical equipment in hazardous environments.

The design limits electrical and thermal energy so that specified circuits do not become an ignition source under the conditions covered by the applicable protection level and certification.

In a mobile computer, intrinsic safety reaches far beyond the enclosure. It shapes the whole design. The certified design touches:

Battery systems
Power-management circuits
Internal electronics
Charging circuits
Connectors
Wireless modules
Surface-temperature control
Optional data-capture modules

Certification covers one defined hardware configuration, so every accessory and module has to match the approved build. Bolting a standard accessory onto a certified tablet without checking the documentation can void the protection you paid for — ask us before you bolt anything on.

Typical Oil and Gas Applications

Inspection and Maintenance Rounds

Field technicians can carry digital inspection routes directly to pumps, valves, vessels, pipelines and other process equipment.

A day's round looks like this:

Open the assigned inspection route.
Identify the equipment.
Review previous maintenance information.
Complete inspection fields.
Record measurements.
Capture approved photographs where required.
Record an abnormal condition.
Submit or synchronize the inspection record.

This reduces the need to transfer handwritten inspection notes into another system after leaving the field.

Asset Identification with Barcode, NFC or RFID

Hazardous-area tablets can also support asset identification workflows.

Within the certified configuration, the device can carry:

1D/2D barcode scanning
NFC
UHF RFID

The same scan or tag read identifies:

Valves
Pumps
Instruments
Motors
Pipework assets
Safety equipment
Containers
Maintenance locations

The technician can identify the asset and immediately open the corresponding work order, inspection history or equipment record.

RFID or scanner modules used in a hazardous location should be part of, or specifically permitted for, the certified device configuration.

Corrosion and Anomaly Documentation

Corrosion monitoring is a common field task in refineries, tank farms, offshore facilities and chemical plants.

With a certified device, the inspector combines photographs with:

Asset ID
Inspection date
Location
Corrosion observations
Measurement values
Priority classification
Corrective actions

This creates a more complete field record than separating photographs, paper forms and manually entered equipment information.

Where image capture is required inside a classified area, the camera must be part of the approved equipment configuration. A standalone consumer camera or phone should not be assumed to be acceptable.

Permit-to-Work and Electronic Field Records

Explosion-protected tablets can also support digital permit and field-document workflows.

Tell us your software environment — the tablet runs:

Permit-to-work records
Maintenance work orders
Inspection forms
Safety checklists
Shift logs
Electronic logbooks
Equipment records
Job instructions
Technical manuals

The tablet provides the hardware platform; site procedures, application design and authorization rules remain part of the operator's safety-management system.

Rugged Protection Is Different from Explosion Protection

A common procurement mistake is to treat IP protection and explosion protection as the same thing.

They are not.

An IP rating primarily describes protection against ingress of solids and water.

Across the -EX line, models carry IP65, IP67 or IP68 enclosure ratings. That sealing handles dust and water within the tested limits. Nothing beyond them.

However, an IP rating does not by itself prove:

Explosion protection
Intrinsic safety
Chemical compatibility
Corrosion resistance
Suitability for a particular hazardous zone

Salt spray, acids and solvents attack enclosure materials in ways the IP test does not measure — where the site has chemical exposure, ask for the housing-material compatibility statement alongside the IP rating.

Glove and Wet-Hand Operation

Oil and gas personnel may operate tablets while wearing work gloves or in wet field conditions.

Selected CENAVA hazardous-area tablets support glove-touch or wet-hand touchscreen operation.

This can reduce the need to remove protective gloves simply to complete an inspection form or navigate an application.

Test the touchscreen with the gloves your crews actually wear — thick chemical-resistant and cold-weather gloves are the hardest on any touch panel. Send us the glove type and we will confirm performance on the target model.

Battery Runtime and Battery Replacement

Battery design requires additional care in hazardous locations.

Selected tablets are available with high-capacity, removable or dual-battery configurations, depending on the model.

A full shift on one charge — that is the bar we set for inspection and maintenance rounds.

However, a removable or technically hot-swappable battery must not be removed, replaced or charged inside the hazardous area — battery service happens in the safe zone, under the conditions of use attached to the certificate.

Battery removal, replacement and charging must follow:

The product certificate
Product marking
Manufacturer instructions
Site hazardous-area procedures

If the certificate restricts battery replacement to a non-hazardous location, write it into the shift plan — not into a footnote nobody reads.

Selecting a Tablet for a Hazardous-Area Project

Selection should start with the site's hazardous-area specification rather than screen size, CPU or operating system.

1. Confirm the Required Zone

Start with where the device will go:

Zone 1
Zone 2
Zone 21
Zone 22
Another classified location

Do not select the product until the required area classification is known.

2. Confirm Gas or Dust Group

For gas environments, determine the required gas group.

For combustible-dust environments, verify the applicable dust group separately.

A gas certification does not automatically cover combustible-dust applications.

3. Confirm the Temperature Class

Temperature class is part of the Ex marking and relates to permitted equipment surface temperature.

Do not substitute one temperature class for another without reviewing the site requirement.

4. Verify the Equipment Protection Level

Check whether the specification calls for:

or another protection level.

This is more precise than selecting a product based only on the phrase “Zone 1 tablet.”

5. Select the Operating System

After hazardous-area requirements are established, determine whether the application requires:

Android
Windows
A specific enterprise application
Legacy Windows software
Browser-based inspection software

The operating system should be selected according to the actual inspection, maintenance or engineering workflow.

6. Define Data-Capture Requirements

List what the project must capture:

Camera
NFC
Barcode scanning
UHF RFID
GPS/GNSS
Cellular communication
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth

Then confirm that the required options are available within the appropriate certified configuration.

7. Review the Documentation Package

Before approving a device for a project, request documentation that corresponds to the exact model and configuration being supplied.

Per market and certification route, the package we assemble includes:

Certificate of conformity
ATEX documentation
IECEx documentation
EU Declaration of Conformity
Ex marking
Product nameplate information
Safety instructions
Certificate schedules or special conditions of use

The model number and marking on the supplied device should correspond to the documentation used during project approval.

ATEX and IECEx Are Not Interchangeable Terms

ATEX and IECEx are related to equipment used in explosive atmospheres, but they are not the same certification system.

ATEX applies within the European regulatory framework for equipment intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres.

IECEx is an international conformity-assessment system based on IEC standards for explosive atmospheres.

ATEX and IECEx are separate certificate routes. A CENAVA tablet holding an ATEX certificate does not imply IECEx coverage — if your project specification requires IECEx, ask for the IECEx certificate number of the exact configuration, and we will confirm whether it exists before quoting. Where only ATEX documentation is available, that is what the quotation states.

Likewise, certification requirements can differ between:

European Union projects
International IECEx projects
National oil and gas projects
Mining applications
Customer-specific procurement standards

CENAVA can match the required product configuration and available documentation to the certification route specified by the project.

Hazardous-Area Data Capture and Connectivity

Field mobility increasingly depends on more than displaying a digital form.

In the field, the tablet keeps technicians connected to:

CMMS platforms
EAM systems
ERP systems
Inspection applications
Maintenance databases
Digital twin platforms
Cloud-based field-service systems

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular or GNSS — the wireless set is configured per model and project.

Site operators should also evaluate their own wireless-security, network-access and radio-use requirements before deployment.

OEM and Project Configuration Support

Large oil and gas projects frequently require more than a standard retail configuration.

Large projects need more than retail stock. Per model and project scope, we configure:

Operating-system configuration
Application pre-installation
Company branding
Device naming
MDM enrollment preparation
Software image deployment
Barcode or RFID configuration
Accessory selection
Packaging customization

Any hardware modification to an explosion-protected product must remain consistent with the approved certified configuration.

Any change that touches the certified construction — battery, enclosure, connectors, radio modules — requires re-approval against the certificate before production. Cosmetic customization such as branding and packaging does not. Tell us which category your requirement falls into, and we will confirm the approval path and lead time before you commit.

Documentation Support for EPC and Operator Projects

Certification documentation often becomes part of the technical review process before equipment can be added to an approved vendor list or used on site.

For EPC contractors, system integrators and operators, CENAVA can provide available certification information for the relevant product configuration during project evaluation.

With your inquiry, send the required:

Country or project location
Hazardous-area classification
Zone
Gas or dust group
Temperature class
Required Ex marking
Operating system
Screen size
Barcode/RFID requirements
Cellular or GNSS requirements
Project quantity

This allows the product configuration to be checked against the technical specification before quotation and project approval.

Why Oil and Gas Operators Choose CENAVA

Certified range

The -EX line covers Zone 1/21 gas-and-dust configurations from the 8-inch A80ST-5G EX (Ex ib IIC T4 Gb) to the 13.3-inch W30UPro-EX (ATEX II 2GD), in both Android and Windows.

Documentation

Each -EX quotation references the certificate number, Ex marking and any special conditions of use of the exact configuration — the documents your safety team needs for vendor-list approval.

Project support

OS image, MDM enrollment and data-capture modules are configured within the limits of the certificate; cosmetic branding does not require re-approval.

Talk to CENAVA About Your Hazardous-Area Project

Do not select a hazardous-area tablet based only on processor performance, IP rating or the words “explosion-proof.”

Start with the site's classification and required Ex marking.

Send CENAVA five things: the required zone, gas or dust group, temperature class, Equipment Protection Level and your project quantity.

We will come back with a certified configuration and a documentation package matched to your site classification — plus lead time and pricing.

Inquire Now