Saudi state oil company Aramco, in partnership with French developer Pasqal, has commissioned the Kingdom’s first quantum computer. At the same time, the partners launched the Middle East’s first commercial Quantum Computing as a Service (QCaaS) platform. Any client anywhere in the world can now connect to the machine remotely via a secure cloud environment and tackle industrial computing tasks.
The quantum computer is installed at Aramco’s data centre in Dhahran. It is built on neutral-atom technology and operates 200 programmable qubits. The unit was first assembled in November 2025 and has now been formally commissioned for active use.
Aramco’s Executive Vice President for Technology and Innovation Ahmad Al-Khowaiter stated that this breakthrough belongs to researchers and scientists from Saudi Arabia. The company is investing in joint training programmes and research to build world-class quantum expertise within the Kingdom — expertise that will help develop the energy solutions of the future, accelerate the creation of low-carbon fuels, and optimise reservoir management and supply chains.
Pasqal CEO Wassim Boukhara emphasised that Aramco is not simply waiting for quantum technologies to mature, but is actively shaping them as a global leader. In his words, the most complex industrial challenges can now be addressed using quantum processors and Pasqal’s specialised software.
Among the first industrial applications Aramco intends to pursue with the quantum computer are: optimising port logistics, identifying optimal well placement, positioning drilling rigs, and finding the best sites for carbon dioxide injection and storage. The company also plans to use quantum computing for workforce development and to build out the quantum ecosystem across the region.
Any external organisation — research institutes, universities, and companies — can access the computer through Pasqal’s cloud platform. Aramco acts as the anchor customer, helping to develop hybrid quantum solutions for its activities in energy, materials science, and industry.
Saudi Arabia is staking a serious claim to leadership in quantum computing across the Middle East, opening access to this technology not only for itself but for the world at large.
Source: aramco.com
Image: Aramco
