Google Cloud Chief Clarifies Aramco Deal Is Not For Oil Production

Alphabet Inc GOOG GOOGL Google Cloud head Thomas Kurien clarified that its deal with oil giant Saudi Aramco did not include oil production, Bloomberg reports.
“We work with Aramco system integration division, not with the oil-and-gas division,” Kurian said.
Google’s critics, including its employees, have claimed that providing cloud tools to oil-and-gas firms conflicts with its zero-carbon goals.
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Kurian has denied any contradiction in these partnerships.
“We’re not doing work in the exploration and production business,” Kurien said. “We’re also helping oil and gas companies decarbonize in a variety of ways.”
An activist group, SumOfUs, looks to propose calling on the company board to release a human rights assessment of a Saudi data center at Alphabet’s shareholder meeting on June 1. Alphabet attempted to remove the proposal from a vote, but the U.S. SEC approved it.
In 2020, Google disclosed plans to expand its cloud business into Saudi Arabia with a new cloud data center. Saudi Aramco would re-sell Google’s cloud services to customers in the country.
Price Action: GOOG shares traded higher by 1.64% at $2,201.50 premarket on the last check Friday.