Saudi Aramco and French startup Pasqal launched Saudi Arabia’s first quantum computer, part of a broader push by Gulf energy producers to use technology to squeeze more output and efficiency from their oil and gas operations. Housed at Aramco’s Dhahran data center, the system is designed to address complex challenges in the energy, industrial, and materials sectors.
The launch follows Aramco’s announcement this month of a new supercomputer, expected online in 2027, that will boost the company’s compute capacity sevenfold for seismic imaging and reservoir simulations.
Aramco first backed Pasqal through its Wa’ed Ventures arm in 2023. The companies have jointly developed systems that help optimize carbon dioxide storage, port logistics, rig scheduling, and well placement.