Aramco is accelerating its digital transformation with a new milestone in quantum computing, positioning itself at the forefront of next-generation energy technologies.

Through its Upstream Digital Center (UDC), the company has developed one of the region’s largest quantum computing emulators, the Dammam-7Q (DMM7Q), powered by the Dammam-7 Supercomputer and enhanced by NVIDIA GPUs. This initiative represents a significant step in Aramco’s collaboration with NVIDIA, aimed at expanding the frontiers of computational innovation in the energy sector.

Building on the legacy of Dammam Well No. 7, Saudi Arabia’s first commercial oil discovery, the Dammam-7 Supercomputer marks the next phase of Aramco’s data-driven exploration. The company is leveraging quantum computing to process complex seismic data and improve subsurface imaging accuracy—an essential capability for discovering and managing new energy reserves.

Aramco and NVIDIA are testing advanced algorithms, including quantum Hadamard edge detection, designed to enhance the resolution of seismic imaging using quantum processors.

These efforts are powered by NVIDIA’s CUDA-Q platform, which enables GPU-accelerated emulation of future quantum hardware. This allows researchers to design and validate algorithms that can eventually run on hybrid systems combining CPUs, GPUs, and quantum processors.

Using CUDA-Q, Aramco has emulated up to 30 qubits per GPU, scaling across multiple GPUs on the Dammam-7 system to identify 3D seismic faults from full datasets—a breakthrough in quantum-based upstream computing.

Ashraf Al-Tahini, Vice President of the Upstream Digital Center (UDC), highlighted that the center’s digital transformation strategy emphasizes advancing innovation through quantum computing and hybrid supercomputing technologies in partnership with NVIDIA.

Tim Costa, Senior Director of CAE, Quantum, and CUDA-X at NVIDIA, added that the partnership demonstrates the transformative potential of quantum research when integrated with advanced accelerated computing platforms.