Quantinuum and BP Launch Quantum Subsurface Exploration

Quantinuum and BP start quantum computing project for subsurface exploration.

Quantinuum and energy giant BP have initiated a joint project to apply quantum computing for subsurface probing and mapping of the Earth’s interior.

The initiative aims to address fundamental wave physics challenges underlying seismic imaging. The firms intend to modernize methods for exploring oil and gas resources.

Subsurface probing requires processing vast amounts of data and solving complex wave propagation equations. In classical computing, memory and power demands grow proportionally with spatial resolution: doubling it may require a significant increase in HPC cluster resources.

Quantinuum claims that using quantum systems will achieve higher data detail at lower costs. Theoretically, adding just one qubit doubles the dimensionality of the quantum state space, enabling exponential scaling without inflating infrastructure.

“This is potentially an important industrial case. We can offer a more efficient path for energy exploration, providing high data accuracy at lower computational costs compared to classical methods,” said Quantinuum President and CEO Rajib Hazra.

Currently, the project is in its early stages. The parties have not disclosed specific algorithm types or exact timelines for achieving “quantum supremacy” over traditional geophysical systems.

The energy sector is becoming a major testing ground for quantum technologies. In 2025, Saudi Aramco also launched the specialized quantum emulator Dammam 7Q for similar subsurface studies.

Back in May 2026, Cisco’s Global Director of Innovation Guy Diedrich announced that the company would prepare network infrastructure ahead of the quantum leap.