Robert Bertagne died peacefully in the presence of family in Houston on Feb. 4, 2025, one month after undergoing surgery.
He was born on March 17, 1931, in Marseille, France and soon moved with his family to Avignon where he spent his early years and had direct experience of World War II – first under occupation, then through collateral bombing of his neighborhood, as the Allies were destroying nearby railway infrastructure.
An Aspiring American, Geoscientist
The most memorable part of the war for Bertagne was in August 1944 when he saw the organized U.S. Army “machine” liberate his town and befriend the locals, including young boys such as himself. In that instant, he decided that he would one day go to and become part of “that country,” and that is precisely what he did.
Following a bachelor’s from Aix Marseille University, he arrived in the United States in 1950, sponsored by a family and a congressman from Montana. He was almost immediately hired as a trainee on a geophysical crew, but this being the Korean War era, he was quickly drafted into the U.S. Army. Following a brief time in Korea, he was transferred to Germany as a radio operator and supported maneuvers aimed at preventing invasions from the east.
Following military discharge and studies in geophysics at the University of Tulsa, he was hired in 1955 by Conoco as a geophysicist initially working on seismic crews and later moving to the office and into seismic interpretation. It was during those 20 years that he had what he considered the great honor of working for the CEO of Conoco, “Mr. Mac” (Leonard F. McCollum) and for his lifelong friend, Albert Hrubetz III.
Hrubetz described much of the history that he and Bertagne experienced in his 2016 book titled, “A Geophysicist’s Memoir.” The book illustrates the different world in which that generation grew up, constantly breaking new ground, taking on difficult physical, logistical and cultural challenges, which at times sounded like the plot of an Indiana Jones movie!
A Storied Career
Following a strategic decision by Mr. Mac to “go foreign,” Hrubetz, Bertagne and others played a key role in transforming the company from a small U.S. independent to a major international player that operated local subsidiaries such as Sahara Petroleum and Oasis Oil Company. Bertagne played key roles in Libya, Yemen, Dubai and elements of the history that he experienced are recounted in two recent Historical Highlights articles that he contributed to the EXPLORER in January and September of 2024. While in Egypt, he met and married Marlene Strong and they soon had their first child, who was born in West Texas following the family’s evacuation from Egypt by the 6th Fleet during the Suez Crisis. Approximately two years, later Bertagne had been transferred to Venezuela and his second son was born while he was based in Maracaibo.
After Conoco, he worked for Texas Pacific International and later at Wainoco International as vice president of exploration before establishing Marex Petroleum Corporation in 1982, a company that he ran for the rest of his life.
Legacy
Over his career, Bertagne explored 77 geological basins located in 45 countries and participated in many of the major exploration campaigns in the Middle East, the North Sea, South America, Africa and Southeast Asia.
Bertagne was well known and respected in many host countries around the world, which led to his ability to obtain international exploration permits, attract larger partners and, in combination with them, undertake new technical studies, seismic data acquisition and drilling. He often acted as local guide when friends and colleagues visited the countries he was living in and, for example, led Tod Harding (of Exxon and Wrench Fault fame) in a memorable field trip in the Moroccan Atlas Mountains.
That broad international experience was the reason he was invited to contribute to AAPG’s Treatise on Petroleum Geology through the 1992 AAPG Publication, “The Business of Petroleum Exploration,” in which he wrote the chapter “International Exploration by Independents,” compiling a practical summary on how to prepare for international exploration and production based on his vast experience gained around the globe.
Bertagne was particularly interested in the potential of the Mozambique Channel, an exploration frontier, and he worked on improving the geological understanding of and promoting the potential of that area in conjunction with several international geoscientists. This led to the award of large exploration permits and partnerships with Roc Oil and later Nigeria-based South Atlantic Petroleum, resulting in the acquisition of modern data sets in what remains a key unexplored area with significant potential.
Bertagne is co-author with Don Rusk of the report entitled, “Geology and Geophysics of the Mozambique Channel,” which has been used as a guide for successful petroleum exploration by most of the operators working in the area since 2003. In 2018 he gave an enthusiastic talk on the potential of the Mozambique Channel at the Geological Society of Houston which will be a reference for a long time to come, which can be found on under the title “Robert Bertagne – Mozambique Channel Exploration” on the HGSGeoEducation channel.
Most people know his for his language skills, deep understanding of global cultures and ability to work closely “with anyone,” as well as his charm and passion about many facets of life. He was a founding member of the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, a think tank at Rice University, and a member of the Roundtable where he attended events and regularly exchanged ideas with Mr. Baker himself.
Bertagne has been an AAPG member since 1959 when he received his acceptance letter as a member from then-President, Lewis G. Weeks and his 60-year certificate hung in his home office in Houston.
He is survived by his first wife, his two sons (one geophysicist), three grandsons and a great-granddaughter. He was laid to rest with fellow Veterans at the Houston National Cemetery following a Catholic service.