DHAHRAN, Saudi Arabia, May 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Aramco, one of the world's leading energy and chemicals companies, in partnership with Pasqal, a global leader in neutral-atom quantum computing, today officially inaugurated the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's first quantum computer.

Aramco and Pasqal also unveiled the first commercial Quantum Computing as a Service (QCaaS) platform in the Middle East, opening a new chapter in building regional expertise and accelerating the development of quantum applications across the energy, materials and industrial sectors.

Marking a major milestone in the region's technological advancement, QCaaS enables remote cloud access for potential clients around the globe. Located at Aramco's data center in Dhahran, the computer provides customers with immediate, low-latency access to quantum hardware through a secure cloud platform to address complex industrial challenges.

Ahmad O. Al Khowaiter, Aramco Executive Vice President of Technology & Innovation, said: "This quantum milestone belongs to our Saudi researchers, engineers and scientists. By investing in joint training and research, we are building world-class quantum expertise right here in the Kingdom--an expertise that will power the next generation of energy solutions, accelerate lower-carbon fuel development, and enhance reservoir and supply-chain optimization. Let this achievement be the catalyst for an innovation-driven economy, creating high-impact, future-ready jobs for our youth and advancing Saudi Vision 2030."

Wasiq Bokhari, Pasqal CEO, said: "Aramco is not just waiting for quantum computing, it is helping to shape it as a global leader. This inauguration is evidence that the most demanding industrial challenges in the world are now being tackled with Pasqal's quantum processors, software and specific solutions. For Pasqal, deploying our system for use in Aramco's business-critical operations, while also being available to the region's enterprises and research community, is a part of our core mission: to enable practical and secure quantum computing at scale today."

Pasqal has been designing and building high-performance hardware and cloud-ready software since 2019, to address complex challenges in optimization, simulation, and artificial intelligence. Following its initial deployment in November 2025, the Pasqal Quantum Processing Unit (QPU) is powered by neutral-atom technology and controls 200 programmable qubits. Today's inauguration formalizes its entry into active operation across a growing portfolio of industrial use cases and enables enterprises to explore and develop quantum-enhanced solutions for real-world industrial challenges.

Under the terms of the partnership, Aramco will progress a roadmap of use cases on a production-ready QPU as a foundational customer, accelerating development of quantum-hybrid solutions for its programs across energy, materials and industrial operations. Other external organizations, including research institutions, universities, and enterprises, can use Pasqal's cloud platform to access one of the few quantum computers in the world.

Aramco's domestic venture capital arm, Wa'ed Ventures, initially invested in Pasqal in January 2023, reinforcing efforts to localize advanced quantum technologies and accelerate the development of the regional quantum ecosystem. Since then, Aramco and Pasqal have built a structured quantum program targeting high-value operational challenges across multiple workstreams, where quantum-hybrid approaches unlock capabilities beyond classical computing. These Aramco workstreams include port logistics optimization, CO₂ storage optimization, well placement, rig scheduling, building the Kingdom's quantum workforce, and making quantum computing available throughout the region. @aramco

About Aramco

As one of the world's leading integrated energy and chemicals companies, our global team is dedicated to creating impact in all that we do, from providing crucial oil supplies to developing new energy technologies. We focus on making our resources more dependable, more sustainable and more useful, helping to promote growth and productivity around the world. https://www.aramco.com

About Pasqal

Pasqal is a global leader in delivering practical quantum computing at scale utilizing neutral atom technology and dedicated software for industry, science, and governments. Since its founding in 2019, Pasqal has leveraged Nobel Prize winning research to build high-performance quantum systems and cloud-ready software designed to address complex challenges in optimization, simulation, and artificial intelligence.

Headquartered in France, Pasqal employs over 275 people and serves over 25 clients and partners, including Aramco, CMA CGM, OVHcloud, Thales, IBM (Pasqal is part of the IBM Quantum Network), and Sumitomo.

Backed by more than USD 500 million in total funding from leading international investors, Pasqal is pursuing a listing on Nasdaq in partnership with Bleichroeder Acquisition Corp. II (Nasdaq: BBCQ) and is accelerating the adoption of scalable, high-performance quantum computing worldwide.

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The press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements relating to historical or current facts included in the press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements give the Company's current expectations and projections relating to its capital expenditures and investments, major projects, upstream and downstream performance, including relative to peers. These statements may include, without limitation, any statements preceded by, followed by or including words such as "target," "believe," "expect," "aim," "intend," "goal," "may," "anticipate," "estimate," "plan," "project," "can have," "likely," "should," "could," and other words and terms of similar meaning or the negative thereof. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors beyond the Company's control that could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the expected results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including the following factors: global supply, demand and price fluctuations of oil, gas and petrochemicals; global economic conditions; competition in the industries in which Saudi Aramco operates; climate change concerns, weather conditions and related impacts on the global demand for hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon-based products; risks related to Saudi Aramco's ability to successfully meet its ESG targets, including its failure to fully meet its GHG emissions reduction targets by 2050; conditions affecting the transportation of products; operational risk and hazards common in the oil and gas, refining and petrochemicals industries; the cyclical nature of the oil and gas, refining and petrochemicals industries; political and social instability and unrest and actual or potential armed conflicts in the MENA region and other areas; natural disasters and public health pandemics or epidemics; the management of Saudi Aramco's growth; the management of the Company's subsidiaries, joint operations, joint ventures, associates and entities in which it holds a minority interest; Saudi Aramco's exposure to inflation, interest rate risk and foreign exchange risk; risks related to operating in a regulated industry and changes to oil, gas, environmental or other regulations that impact the industries in which Saudi Aramco operates; legal proceedings, international trade matters, and other disputes or agreements; and other risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements in this press release, as set forth in the Company's latest periodic reports filed with the Saudi Exchange. For additional information on the potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the results predicted please see the Company's latest periodic reports filed with the Saudi Exchange. Such forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding the Company's present and future business strategies and the environment in which it will operate in the future. The information contained in the press release, including but not limited to forward-looking statements, applies only as of the date of this press release and is not intended to give any assurances as to future results. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to the press release, including any financial data or forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable law or regulation. No person should construe the press release as financial, tax or investment advice. Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements.

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