The supercomputer will further enhance decision-making for exploration and development of conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon resources, as well as guide future investments in production and resource allocation

Named after the first oil well discovered in Saudi Arabia, Saudi Aramco’s new Dammam 7 supercomputer is among the top 10 most powerful in the world, and it will push beyond the traditional boundaries of exploration and production through cutting edge technology.

It is the next step in Aramco’s digital transformation, complementing a suite of advanced technologies that are reshaping core operations, driving efficiencies and reinforcing its industry leadership in geoscience.

Dammam 7 was developed at Dhahran Techno Valley in partnership with Solutions, a subsidiary of stc Group, and CRAY, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise subsidiary, Dammam 7 has 55.4 petaflops of peak computing power, allowing it to process and image the world’s largest geophysical datasets.

Nasser with officials

Sophisticated imaging and deep-learning algorithms will allow it to run very detailed 3D earth models, improving the company’s ability to discover and recover oil and gas while reducing exploration and development risks. It will further enhance decision-making for exploration and development of conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon resources, as well as guide future investments in production and resource
allocation.

Amin Nasser, Aramco President and CEO, said: "The Dammam 7 supercomputer will help us with breakthroughs as part of our long-term discovery and recovery strategy in our upstream business. This technology that processes complex data faster will enable new discoveries and enhanced recoveries, which are crucial to both ensuring the availability of adequate supply to meet the demand for energy and to cut costs while boosting productivity."

Nasser stress that continuous investment in innovative technology is an essential enabler of Aramco’s long-term growth strategy, and Dammam 7 is another step in its plan to invest in the right technology that drives production efficiency and resilience.

Meanwhile, stc Group CEO, Nasser Al-Nasser, said: "The inauguration of the supercomputer data centre in Aramco will open up new horizons in exploration, which will have a significant impact on data digitisation and quality. These are in line with the digital transformation plans of the desired national outlook, and we are proud to have worked with locals to establish Dammam 7 centre."