My work focuses on identifying and characterising pore fluids and deep groundwater in sedimentary basins, and the effects of fluid mobilization in the subsurface, using an array of geophysical and geological data, in particular seismic reflection methods. The main aims are to understand the mechanisms that allow the emplacement and expulsion of these fluids in sediments, e.g. tectonics and changes in climate, and the distribution of deep and offshore aquifers as unconventional water resources. In this context, I am leading a collaboration with Wood Mackenzie, under an EPSRC Impact Accelerator Account Grant at the University of Oxford, to research how we can repurpose their O&G global dataset for identification of deep and offshore freshwater aquifers, using geospatial analysis, data science and machine learning approaches. I also investigate ‘salt giants’ basins such as the Mediterranean Messinian Salinity Crisis, and an important part of my work is dedicated to understanding global mechanism leading to their formation and demise through Earth’s history.
My current position is funded by the Leverhulme Trust grant ‘Neptune’. In this project we are using seismic reflection data in the Eastern Mediterranean and Caspian Sea to identify offshore active faults and their potential for large earthquakes and tsunamis. I also collaborate with the company Ruden Water, on a project funded by a grant from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to explore for deep aquifer in the Horn of Africa Region, in particular in Somalia, using well and seismic data from the O&G industry (https://rudenas.com/ruden-water/deep-groundwater). In the last few years, I have been leading the efforts for proposal 857C to the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) for scientific drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean. I am currently Vice-Chair and one of the UK representatives of COST OFF-SOURCE (https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA21112/), focused on scientific networking, outreach and training around the theme of offshore freshened groundwater in the European continent and beyond.
Previous research
My background is in interpretation of geophysical data, sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy. My PhD focused on the tectono-stratigraphic analysis of the Messinian evaporites in the Eastern Mediterranean. As an exploration geoscientist in the energy industry, I have applied the interpretation of integrated subsurface data to a variety of sedimentary basins, in the circum-European, Asia-Pacific and East Africa regions.
View Selected Publications
A. Camerlenghi, C. Corradin, U. Tinivella, M. Giustiniani, C. Bertoni, 2023. Subsurface heat and salts cause exceptionally limited methane hydrate stability in the Mediterranean Basin. Geology, 51(2), 162-166.
E. Quiroga, C. Bertoni, F. Ruden, F., 2023. Deep low-salinity groundwater in sedimentary basins: petrophysical methods from a case study in Somalia. Hydrogeology Journal, 931 (3), 685-705.
E Quiroga, C Bertoni, M Van Goethem, LA Blazevic, F Ruden 2022 “A 3D geological model of the horn of Africa: New insights for hydrogeological simulations of deep groundwater systems.” Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies 42, 101166.
L Knight, A Copley, C Bertoni, RA Sloan, R Walker 2022 Links between foreland rheology and the growth and evolution of a young mountain belt in New Guinea Geophysical Journal International 228 (3), 1684-1712
AS Madof, WBF Ryan, C Bertoni, FJ Laugier, AS Zaki, SE Baumgardner 2022 Time‐probabilistic approach to the late Miocene Messinian salinity crisis: Implications for a disconnected Paratethys Terra Nova
TM Alves, J Tugend, S Holford, C Bertoni, W Li 2021 Continental margins unleashed-From their early inception to continental breakup Marine and Petroleum Geology 129, 105097
A Micallef, M Person, C Berndt, C Bertoni, D Cohen, B Dugan, R Evans, et al. 2021 Offshore freshened groundwater in continental margins Reviews of Geophysics 59 (1), e2020RG000706
D Spatola, JD del Moral-Erencia, A Micallef, A Camerlenghi, et al. 2020 A single-stage megaflood at the termination of the Messinian salinity crisis: Geophysical and modelling evidence from the eastern Mediterranean Basin Marine Geology 430, 106337
C Bertoni, J Lofi, A Micallef, H Moe 2020 Seismic reflection methods in offshore groundwater research Geosciences 10 (8), 299
C Kirkham, J Cartwright, C Bertoni, P Van Rensbergen 2020 The genesis of a giant mud canopy by catastrophic failure of a thick evaporite sealing layer Geology 48 (8), 787-791
C Kirkham, C Bertoni, J Cartwright, NG Lensky, I Sirota, K Rodriguez, N. Hodgson 2020 The demise of a ‘salt giant’driven by uplift and thermal dissolution Earth and Planetary Science Letters 531, 115933
C Bertoni, YP Gan, M Paganoni, J Mayer, J Cartwright, J Martin, et al. 2019 Late Paleocene pipe swarm in the Great South–Canterbury Basin (New Zealand) Marine and Petroleum Geology 107, 451-466
Madof AS, Bertoni C, Lofi J. (2019) Discovery of vast fluvial deposits provides evidence for drawdown during the late Miocene Messinian salinity crisis. Geology, 47(2): 171-174.
Bertoni C., Cartwright, J., Foschi M., Martin J. (2018). Spectrum of gas migration phenomena in multi-layered sealing sequences. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 102 (6), 1011-1034.
Cartwright, J., Kirkham, C., Bertoni, C., Hodgson, N. and Rodriguez, K., (2018). Direct calibration of salt sheet kinematics during gravity-driven deformation. Geology, 46(7), pp.623-626.
Bertoni, C., Kirkham, C., Cartwright, J., Hodgson, N. and Rodriguez, K. (2017). Seismic indicators of focused fluid flow and cross-evaporitic seepage in the Eastern Mediterranean. Marine and Petroleum Geology.
Morley, C.K., Maczak, A., Rungprom, T., Ghosh, J., Cartwright, J.A., Bertoni, C. and Panpichityota, N. (2017). New style of honeycomb structures revealed on 3D seismic data indicate widespread diagenesis offshore Great South Basin, New Zealand. Marine and Petroleum Geology.
Bertoni C., Cartwright, J. (2015) ‘Messinian evaporites and fluid flow’. Marine and Petroleum Geology, v. 66, Part 1, Pages 165–176
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264817215000288
Bertoni C., Cartwright J. & Hermanrud C. (2013) “Evidence for large scale methane venting due to rapid drawdown of sea level during the Messinian Salinity Crisis”. Geology, v. 41, p. 371-374.
Bertoni C. & Alvarez J. (2012) “Interplay between submarine depositional processes and recent tectonics in the Biak Basin, Western Papua, Eastern Indonesia. Berita Sedimentologi 23, 42-46.
Frey, J., Bertoni C., Gerard J., Matias H. (2010) “3D seismic analysis of submarine landsliding and fluid escape structures on the Ebro Continental Margin: Implications for offshore facility planning” SEPM Special Publication 96, 181-198.
Bertoni C., Vallaure, T. Herra A. Gorocica, K. (2007) “Seal characterization by integrated 3D seismic and well data: CO2 storage-Casablanca Field (Offshore Spain)”, AAPG International Conference.
Bertoni C. & Cartwright J. (2007) “Clastic depositional systems at the base of the late Miocene evaporites in the Levant region, Eastern Mediterranean”. in: Evaporites through space and time, Ed. C. Schreiber et al., Geological Society of London Special Publications, 285, 37-52.
Bertoni C. & Cartwright J. (2007) “Major erosion at the end of the Messinian Salinity Crisis: evidence from the Levant Basin, Eastern Mediterranean”. Basin Research, 19, 1-18.
Bertoni C. & Cartwright J. (2006) “Controls on the basinwide architecture of the Messinian evaporites on the Levant margin, Eastern Mediterranean”. Sedimentary Geology 188-189, 93-114.
Bertoni C. & Cartwright J. (2005) “3D seismic analysis of evaporite dissolution structures in the Eastern Mediterranean”. Journal of the Geological Society of London, 162, 909-926.
Bertoni C. & Cartwright J. (2005) “3D seismic analysis of slope-confined canyons from the Plio-Pleistocene of the Ebro Continental Margin (Western Mediterranean)”. Basin Research 17, 43-62.
View Extended Publications
A. Camerlenghi, C. Corradin, U. Tinivella, M. Giustiniani, C. Bertoni, 2023. Subsurface heat and salts cause exceptionally limited methane hydrate stability in the Mediterranean Basin. Geology, 51(2), 162-166.
E. Quiroga, C. Bertoni, F. Ruden, F., 2023. Deep low-salinity groundwater in sedimentary basins: petrophysical methods from a case study in Somalia. Hydrogeology Journal, 931 (3), 685-705.
L Knight, A Copley, C Bertoni, RA Sloan, R Walker 2022 Corrigendum to: Links between foreland rheology and the growth and evolution of a young mountain belt in New Guinea Geophysical Journal International 229 (1), 719-719
C Corradin, A Camerlenghi, M Giustiniani, U Tinivella, C Bertoni 2022 Legacy DSDP and ODP data suggest a paradigm shift in methane hydrate stability in the Mediterranean Basin EGU22
L Knight, A Copley, C Bertoni, RA Sloan, R Walker 2022 Links between foreland rheology and the growth and evolution of a young mountain belt in New Guinea Geophysical Journal International 228 (3), 1684-1712
AS Madof, WBF Ryan, C Bertoni, FJ Laugier, AS Zaki, SE Baumgardner 2022 Time‐probabilistic approach to the late Miocene Messinian salinity crisis: Implications for a disconnected Paratethys Terra Nova
A Madof, F Laugier, C Bertoni, S Baumgardner 2021 New methods for evaluating the temporal distribution of late Miocene reservoirs: A Mediterranean-wide probabilistic analysis Third EAGE Eastern Mediterranean Workshop 2021 (1), 1-2
TM Alves, J Tugend, S Holford, C Bertoni, W Li 2021 Continental margins unleashed-From their early inception to continental breakup Marine and Petroleum Geology 129, 105097
C Corradin, A Camerlenghi, M Giustiniani, U Tinivella, C Bertoni 2021 On the lack of widespread bottom simulating reflectors in the Mediterranean Basin EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, EGU21-10216
A Micallef, M Person, C Berndt, C Bertoni, D Cohen, B Dugan, R Evans, et al. 2021 Offshore freshened groundwater in continental margins Reviews of Geophysics 59 (1), e2020RG000706
D Spatola, JD del Moral-Erencia, A Micallef, A Camerlenghi, … 2020 A single-stage megaflood at the termination of the Messinian salinity crisis: Geophysical and modelling evidence from the eastern Mediterranean Basin Marine Geology 430, 106337
C Bertoni, J Lofi, A Micallef, H Moe 2020 Seismic reflection methods in offshore groundwater research Geosciences 10 (8), 299
C Kirkham, J Cartwright, C Bertoni, P Van Rensbergen 2020 The genesis of a giant mud canopy by catastrophic failure of a thick evaporite sealing layer Geology 48 (8), 787-791
C Kirkham, C Bertoni, J Cartwright, NG Lensky, I Sirota, K Rodriguez, N. Hodgson 2020 The demise of a ‘salt giant’driven by uplift and thermal dissolution Earth and Planetary Science Letters 531, 115933
C Kirkham, J Cartwright, C Bertoni, K Rodriguez, N Hodgson 2019 3D kinematics of a thick salt : layer during gravity-driven deformation Marine and Petroleum Geology 110, 434-449
C Bertoni, YP Gan, M Paganoni, J Mayer, J Cartwright, J Martin, et al. 2019 Late Paleocene pipe swarm in the Great South–Canterbury Basin (New Zealand) Marine and Petroleum Geology 107, 451-466
C Kirkham, J Cartwright, C Bertoni, K Rodriguez, N Hodgson 2019 An insight Into the 3D Kinematics of a Thick Salt Sheet Using Fluids Escape Pipes as Natural Markers for Deformation 81st EAGE Conference and Exhibition 2019 (1), 1-5
C Bertoni, A Madof, J Lofi, C Kirkham, J Cartwright, K Rodriguez, N. Hodgson 2019 The forgotten rivers of the Late Miocene Levant Basin: implications for sediment provenance and trap timing 81st EAGE Conference and Exhibition 2019 2019 (1), 1-5
AS Madof, C Bertoni, J Lofi 2019 Discovery of vast fluvial deposits provides evidence for drawdown during the late Miocene Messinian salinity crisis Geology 47 (2), 171-174
J Cartwright, C Kirkham, C Bertoni, N Hodgson, K Rodriguez 2018 Direct calibration of salt sheet kinematics during gravity-driven deformation Geology 46 (7), 623-626
C Bertoni, J Cartwright, M Foschi, J Martin 2018 Spectrum of gas migration phenomena across multilayered sealing sequences AAPG Bulletin 102 (6), 1011-1034
A Camerlenghi, J Lofi, C Bertoni, G Aloisi 2018 COST Action MEDSALT-an incubator of cross-disciplinary research. EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, 12191
C Bertoni, C Kirkham, J Cartwright, N Hodgson, K Rodriguez 2017 Seismic indicators of focused fluid flow and cross-evaporitic seepage in the Eastern Mediterranean Marine and Petroleum Geology 88, 472-488
CK Morley, A Maczak, T Rungprom, J Ghosh, JA Cartwright, C Bertoni, et al. 2017 New style of honeycomb structures revealed on 3D seismic data indicate widespread diagenesis offshore Great South Basin, New Zealand Marine and Petroleum Geology 86, 140-154
C Bertoni, J Cartwright Messinian evaporites and fluid flow 2015 Marine and Petroleum Geology 66, 165-176
C Bertoni, M Foschi, J Cartwright, B Levell Fluid transport processes in the passive margins of the Eastern Mediterranean 2015 EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, 15675
C Bertoni, J Cartwight 2014 Messinian salinity crisis and basin fluid flow EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, 13029
C Bertoni, J Cartwright, C Hermanrud 2013 Evidence for large-scale methane venting due to rapid drawdown of sea level during the Messinian Salinity Crisis Geology 41 (3), 371-374
V Memmo, C Bertoni, M Masini, J Alvarez, Z Imran, A Echanove, et al. 2013 Deposition and deformation in the recent Biak Basin (Papua Province, Eastern Indonesia) Indonesian Petroleum Association Annual Conference
C Bertoni, J Álvarez 2012 Interplay between submarine depositional processes and recent tectonics in the Biak Basin, Western Papua, Eastern Indonesia Berita Sedimentologi 23 (1), 42-46
J Frey-Martínez, C Bertoni, J Gérard, H Matías 2011 Processes of submarine slope failure and fluid migration on the Ebro continental margin: Implications for offshore exploration and development SEPM Special Publication 96, 181-198.
HC Matias, JV Pont, JJM Banon, LRA Espinosa, JL Peirano, C Bertoni 2010 Exploration Challenges in the Valencia Trough, Offshore Spain–The Lubina and Montanazo Discoveries 72nd EAGE Conference and Exhibition incorporating SPE EUROPEC 2010, cp-161-00327
Bertoni C., Vallaure, T. Herra A. Gorocica, K. 2007 “Seal characterization by integrated 3D seismic and well data: CO2 storage-Casablanca Field (Offshore Spain)”, AAPG International Conference
C Bertoni, JA Cartwright 2007 Major erosion at the end of the Messinian Salinity Crisis: evidence from the Levant Basin, Eastern Mediterranean Basin Research 19 (1), 1-18
C Bertoni, JA Cartwright 2007 Clastic depositional systems at the base of the late Miocene evaporites of the Levant region, Eastern Mediterranean Geological Society, London, Special Publications 285 (1), 37-52
C Bertoni, JA Cartwright 2006 Controls on the basinwide architecture of late Miocene (Messinian) evaporites on the Levant margin (Eastern Mediterranean) Sedimentary Geology 188, 93-114
C Bertoni, J Cartwright 2006 Synthesis of the evolution of the late Miocene evaporites in the Levant region (Eastern Mediterranean): new insights from 3D seismic data Geophysical Research Abstracts 8, 03675
C Bertoni 3D tectonostratigraphic analysis of the Messinian evaporites in the Levant Basin, Eastern Mediterranean PQDT-Global, PhD thesis, University of Cardiff, UK
C Bertoni, JA Cartwright 2005 3D seismic analysis of circular evaporite dissolution structures, Eastern Mediterranean Journal of the Geological Society 162 (6), 909-926
C Bertoni, J Cartwright 2005 3D seismic analysis of slope‐confined canyons from the Plio–Pleistocene of the Ebro Continental Margin (Western Mediterranean) Basin Research 17 (1), 43-62
C Bertoni, J Cartwright, J Fernandez 2003 3D seismic interpretation of Plio-Pleistocene headless submarine canyons on the Ebro margin: implications for deepwater sand transport EGS-AGU-EUG Joint Assembly, 1169