SonIm technoLoGIeS caSe StUdy IndUStRy: oIL & GaS

sonim technologies Case Study
IndustrY: oil & gas
GASUNIE USES SONIM EX-SAFE PHONES FOR GAS WORKER
Responsible for transporting gas
through grid networks across
Europe, Gasunie places heavy
demands on the phones used for
its field workers. Not only do devices
have to be dust, liquid and
shock proof – they also have to
be intrinsically safe for use in the
combustible environments that
can occur during the wholesale
supply of gas.
the company
Gasunie is a European gas infrastructure
company, which stores
and transports natural and ‘green’
gas through its pipelines in the
Netherlands and Northern Germany.
To get the gas to the end-user
safely and reliably, it operates a
high-grade gas transmission grid
on behalf of its customers. Awarded
‘Transmission System Operator of
the Year’ at the 2012 European Gas
Conference, Gasunie is internationally
recognised for its contribution
to the industry.
THE CHALLENGE
“Much of our success is due to the
performance of our in-field teams,”
says Richard Spitzers, responsible
for maintenance of communications
equipment in the field at Gasunie.
“We have a widely dispersed
international workforce many of
whom are lone workers. Keeping
them connected is vital to our
business. We need reliable
communications to keep them safe,
talk to teams, ensure operational
efficiency and report real-time grid
data.”
As Gasunie knows, maintaining
reliable communications when
working with gas presents
unique challenges for electronic
devices, which can spark or cause
temperatures which could ignite
combustible vapours and materials.
overview
country
Netherlands
customer profilE
• Gasunie is a European gas infrastructure
company
• 1732 employees in Netherlands and
Germany
• 1.5 Billion € revenue in 2010
• Gasunie provides the transport of
natural and green gas in the Netherlands
and Northern part of Germany
• Activities range from constructing
new gas infrastructure, transport
of gas to gas storage and gas
transport services
ATEX - European Directive
Standard regulations for equipment
used inside hazardous areas with
potentially explosive atmospheres is
a core issue for the European Union.
Thus, they took the lead in developing
standards which became well-known
as ATEX directives (ATmosphères
EXplosibles). They apply to all kinds of
electrical or non-electrical equipment
and safety devices as well as machines
and industrial facilities located within
potentially explosive atmospheres.
Since July 2003 it is mandatory in Zone
1 and 2 environments to use devices
which have a ATEX type approval all
across Europe.
zone classification
• Zone 0/20: Danger is always present,
for a long time or frequently
• Zone 1/21: Danger is occasionally
present
• Zone 2/22: Danger is seldom present
or present for a short time
ABOUT GASUNIE
N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie is a Dutch natural gas infrastructure and transportation company operating in the Netherlands and Germany. Gasunie owns the Netherlands gas transmission
network with a total length of over 12,000 kilometres (7,500 mi) and 3,100 kilometres (1,900 mi) in Germany. One of northwestern Europe’s leading gas infrastructure
companies, it has an excellent track record in safety, efficiency and customer focus, Gasunie prides itself on its active contribution to a safe and affordable
gas supply and to a sustainable energy future.
www.gasunie.nl
Copyright © Sonim Technologies, Inc. 2012

There are clear guidelines for determining
explosive environments;
these include Ex-zones 0, 1 and
2. The most dangerous, Zone 0,
relates to the presence of explosive
materials such as gases. Within
the guideline’s classifications Class 1,
represents an environment with a
reasonably large risk of release of
explosive gas such as that found
within Gasunie’s operations.
“Our workers operate in a
Class 1 environment
with reasonable large
risk of release of
explosive gas”
“Communication may be vital but
safety is our first priority at Gasunie,”
confirms Spitzers. “For this reason
we have strict safety measures
that govern our processes and
the devices that we use, to avoid
an unsafe situation. One of these
measures is that the mobile phones
used by all of our mechanics have
to be explosion proof – or Ex-safe.
When working with gas, you never
know if and where a situation might
occur. We leave nothing to chance.
That’s why when it came time to
upgrade our phones, we wanted a
solution that would reduce any risks
even further.”
THE SOLUTION
Rather than simply upgrading its
outdated legacy devices, Gasunie
choose to replace them with the
ecom/Sonim Handy 06-Ex which
complies easily with Gasunie’s
Class 1 status. This incorporates all
the inherent features, functionality
and call capability of Sonim’s ultrarugged
XP3 handset with safety
specialist, ecom’s, intrinsically safe
build and features creating a tough,
high performance Ex-safe phone.
Ex-safe branded phones are
certified to meet a number of
strict requirements. This includes
excluding any component which
could cause a spark capable of
igniting combustible materials.
In addition, the phone must remain
safe during a fall for example – the
battery cover must not get loose, or
the casing cause a spark on contact
with a hard surface. In addition, the
paint and outer plastics must under
no circumstances hold a static
charge. The ecom/Sonim Handy
06-Ex delivered this while providing
the highest level of rugged reliability
available - far exceeding MIL-Spec
criteria.
“One of our requirements
was a handset that was
instantly recognisable as
an Ex-safe Phone”
RPS ZERTIFIZIERT
atex - zone 1/21 certified
II 2G Ex ib IIC T4 / II 2D Ex ibD 21
T130°C
PROTECTION FROM WATER
Water submersible to 1 meter for 30
minutes
Protection from dust
Non-porous casing blocks entry of
microparticles
PROTECTION FROM DROPS
Withstands 2 meter drops on concrete
RESISTANT TO SHOCKS & VIBRATIONS
Built to withstand random vibrations
up to 4G
RESISTant TO EXTREME TEMPERATURES
Works in environments ranging from
-20 °C to +55 °C
EXTRA-LONG BATTERY LIFE
1180mAh with up to 6 hours of talk
time and 320 hours of standby time
screen toughness
Extremely shok resistant lens
ACCESIBLE KEYPAD
Widely spaced keys for ease of use
with gloved hands
For additional safety reasons,
Gasunie wanted to ensure that
its Ex-safe phones were easily
distinguishable from other handsets.
The Sonim phone’s bright yellow
colour as well as its performance
ensured it stood out from all other
devices used by its personnel.
Copyright © Sonim Technologies, Inc. 2012
www.sonimtech.com

THE BENEFITS
Spitzer’s explains, “With its bright
yellow casing, our new Ex-safe
phones are easy to spot. Our workers
know that when in the field they
must only use the ‘yellow’ phone.
Anyone can see at a glance if the
device is safe. In fact it has become
so well known that our customers
call it Gasunie yellow.”
Not only is the ecom /Sonim
Handy-06 Ex exceptionally safe to
use across Gasunie’s operations,
it is also IP67 certified and as
such ultra-rugged, waterproof and
dustproof providing outstanding
reliability and longevity even with
the roughest handling and long term
outdoor exposure.
For added convenience it can be
charged with USB via a computer
ideal for engineers who are always
on the move. The phone also has
very loud ringtones, allowing it to be
heard easily by engineers working
close to noisy machinery.
Spitzers adds, “For additional
safety, we also needed a phone
with a really good handsfree mode.
One that would allow our workers
to make and take a support call
while keeping both hands free to
continue to work and operate other
equipment safely. Once again, the
core capability of the Sonim phone
exceeded our expectation – so
much so that 400 handsets have
now been deployed for use by our
staff in the field.”
about
ecom instruments
For over 20 years, ecom has
specialised in the manufacture
of Intrinsically Safe Equipment
designed for use within hazardous
areas, such as oil, gas,
chemicals, petrochemicals,
mining, and pharmaceutical
industries.
Working closely with partners
including Sonim, it has evolved
innovative products with
maximum functionality incorporating
the latest in explosion
protection technology.
For everyday operations involving
compliance with ATEX
and DSEAR directives, its intrinsically
safe hazardous area
equipment and hand portable
tools provide invaluable and
exceptionally safe solutions.
www.ecom-ex.com
Source: „Total Industrial Maintenance – 10/2010“
ABOUT SONIM TECHNOLOGIES
Sonim Technologies (www.sonimtech.com) is the provider of ultra-rugged, water-submersible mobile phones designed specifically for workers in challenging outdoor
and industrial environments. Sonim’s industry-leading three-year comprehensive warranty has redefined customer expectations of rugged technology. Sonim provides
a suite of high-performance workforce management solutions that keep workers safe and enhance their productivity, including push-to-talk, lone worker safety
and NFC proof-of-activity services. The company is headquartered in San Mateo, California and offers its products in over 50 countries.
Copyright © Sonim Technologies, Inc. 2012
www.sonimtech.com