R&D Technical Section Q&A: Quantum Computing—Are We Ready?

_ In this article, Gaurav Agrawal and T.S. Ramakrishnan of the SPE Research and Development Technical Section (RDTS) spoke with Madhava Syamlal of QubitSolve, a startup developing quantum solutions for computational fluid dynamics, about the status of quantum computing as part of the advanced computing roadmap. This series highlights innovative ideas and analysis shaping the future of energy, with a focus on emerging technologies and their roadmaps, potential, and impact. With these conversations, we hope to inspire dialogue and accelerate progress across new energy frontiers. Madhava Syamlal, CEO and founder of QubitSolve, was previously a senior Fellow for Computational Sciences and Engineering at the US Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Lab and is credited for creating MFIX, a widely used multiphase CFD software. He holds a BTech in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Varanasi, and MS and PhD degrees from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago. RDTS: Tell us, what is quantum computing? Syamlal: Quantum computing is based on quantum physics which has given us lasers and transistors, the foundation for common devices such as cell phones, computers, and televisions we all use. In 1985, David Deutsch at Oxford University described a quantum computer. Peter Shor, now at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, published an efficient algorithm for factoring composite integers on a quantum computer in 1994. Shor’s algorithm shattered the belief that factoring large composite numbers is nearly impossible, challenging modern cryptography. This breakthrough sparked intense global interest in quantum computing. RDTS: How is quantum computing different from traditional computing? Syamlal: In traditional computing, information such as text or video is represented by a series of binary digits or bits, each of which is a 0 or 1. A computer processes the information by rapidly changing a programmable switch between the only two possible states, open (0) or closed (1). Qubit is the quantum computing equivalent of a bit. Unlike a classical bit, which can be only 0 or 1, a qubit can exist in a state known as superposition, in both the 0 and 1 states simultaneously. Qubits are created by manipulating and measuring quantum objects such as electrons, photons, or superconducting circuits. An N-qubit system can exist in a superposition of 2N states, represented by (2N-1) complex numbers called amplitudes. Storing these numbers would overwhelm the memory capacity of a supercomputer, even for N as low as 60. Thus, quantum computing offers significant computational power that relies on only a small number of qubits. However, quantum computer functioning is more complex than classical computers. Unlike the definitive binary states of 0 and 1, the measurement of quantum states results in a random state. The probability of obtaining a particular state is determined by the square of the magnitude of its amplitude, which can be manipulated through quantum interference. The most intriguing quantum phenomenon is quantum entanglement, wherein the measurement of a qubit instantly changes the state of all other qubits that are entangled with it.