John Kaszuba

Associate Professor

Office Phone: (307) 766-6065
Fax Phone: (307) 766-6679

P.O. Box 3006
Laramie, Wyoming 82071-3006
Office: ESB 1010
Email: John.Kaszuba@uwyo.edu

SER web page

Education

Geochemistry, PhD, Colorado School of Mines, 1997
Geology, MS, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University , 1986
Geology, BS, Beloit College, 1982

Research Statement

I have been working on fundamental and applied problems related to the geochemistry of water-rock reactions over 15 years. While at Los Alamos National Laboratory I established a high pressure/high temperature hydrothermal laboratory capable of evaluating multiphase fluid-rock reactions. We produced seminal experimental papers regarding supercritical carbon dioxide reaction processes in brine aquifers, with implications for geologic sequestration of carbon. I have been at the University of Wyoming for four years and have established a new hydrothermal laboratory with advanced capabilities for evaluating multiphase fluid-rock reactions. With this laboratory we tackle fundamental geochemical problems of fluid-rock interactions in the crust as well as geochemical issues surrounding geologic carbon sequestration as well as geothermal and fossil energy resources, including unconventional resources. We will continue to employ methods that integrate laboratory, computational, and field techniques to solve these problems. My other long-term research interests include multiphase fluid-rock interaction and evolution in crustal systems; contact metamorphism; quartz and carbonate veins and textures; redox equilibria in crustal-scale (deep) aquifers; and mass and energy transfer in the crust.

Research Projects

I am looking for graduate students for research in fundamental aspects of multiphase fluid (H₂O + CO₂)-rock interactions in the crust. The results of this work will have applications to a wide range of fields, including geologic carbon sequestration and geothermal systems.  Many of my students participate in collaborative efforts with my colleagues in the Department of Geology & Geophysics and across the UW campus. Potential student projects include: 

1. Fundamental aspects of geologic co-sequestration of multi-component (CO₂-SO_x-NO_x) fluids. This project blends experimental geochemistry with studies of natural analogues in Wyoming. 
2. Geologic carbon sequestration and potential impacts to drinking-water resources (collaborative with Drs. John McCray and Alexis Sitchler at the Colorado School of Mines). 
3. Fundamental aspects of supercritical carbon dioxide-water-rock interactions in geothermal systems and geologic carbon sequestration.
4. Fundamental aspects of coupled geochemical reactions and multiphase (CO₂-H₂O) flow in porous rocks, combining experimental geochemistry and neutron scattering techniques (collaborative with Dr. Vladimir Alvarado, Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering).
5. Isotope geology of fluid-rock systems, including hot springs and natural and laboratory analogues to geologic carbon sequestration (collaborative with Dr. Ken Sims, Department of Geology and Geophysics). 

Student research is synergistic with the many new and ongoing projects at the University of Wyoming that address fundamental science underlying fluid-rock interactions and geologic carbon sequestration. Candidates with a background or interest and aptitude for geochemistry are encouraged to apply. Candidates familiar with quantitative geochemical analysis and/or experimental geochemistry are especially encouraged to apply. Research can begin as soon as June 1, 2012.

In addition I have several other projects that are winding down:

1. Geochemistry of oil shale (PI, part of Co-Operative Research and Development Agreement with Chevron Energy Technology Company).
2. Shale mineral reactions and long term stability of CO₂ (co-PI with Dr. Bjørn Kvamme, funded by Research Council of Norway). This project is wrapping up in 2012.

Recent Publications (Click links to download PDFs)

Kaszuba, John P., Navarre-Sitchler, Alexis, Thyne, Geoffrey, Chopping, Curtis, and Meuzelaar, Tom, 2011, Supercritical carbon dioxide and sulfur in the Madison Limestone: A natural analog in southwest Wyoming for geologic carbon–sulfur co-sequestration: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 309, p. 131–140. [PDF]

Kaszuba, John P., Viswanathan, Hari, Carey, J. William, 2011, Relative stability and significance of dawsonite and aluminum minerals in geologic carbon sequestration: Geophysical Research Letters, v. 38, L08404, doi:10.1029/2011GL046845. [PDF]

Wigand, M., Kaszuba, J.P., Carey, J.W., and Hollis, W.K., 2009, Geochemical effects of CO₂ sequestration on fractured wellbore cement at the cement/caprock interface: Chemical Geology, v. 265, p. 122-133. [PDF]

Newell, D.L., Kaszuba, J.P., Viswanathan, H.S., Pawar, R.J. and Carpenter, T., 2008. Significance of carbonate buffers in natural waters reacting with supercritical CO2 - Implications for monitoring, measuring and verification (MMV) of geologic carbon sequestration: Geophysical Research Letters, v. 35, no. 23, L23403, DOI: 10.1029/2008GL035615. [PDF]

Mitchell, Andrew C., Phillips, Adrienne, Hamilton, Marty, Gerlach, Robin, Hollis, W. Kirk, Kaszuba, John, and Cunningham, Alfred, 2008, Resilience of Bacillus mojavensis planktonic and biofilm communities to supercritical CO2: Journal of Supercritical Fluids, v. 47, p. 318–325. [PDF]

Viswanathan, Hari S., Pawar, Rajesh J., Stauffer, Philip H., Kaszuba, John P., Carey, J. William, Olsen, Seth C., Keating, Gordon N., Kavetski, Dmitri, and Guthrie, George D., 2008, Synergistic process and systems modeling to assess carbon sequestration: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 42, p. 7280–7286, 10.1021/es800417x. [PDF]

Kaszuba, John P., and Janecky, David R., 2009, Geochemical impacts of sequestering carbon dioxide in brine formations; in Sundquist, E., and McPherson, B. (Editors), Carbon Sequestration and its Role in the Global Carbon Cycle, Geophysical Monograph 183, American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC, p. 239-247. [PDF]

Kaszuba, John P., Williams, Laurie, Janecky, David R., Hollis, W. Kirk, and Tsimpanogiannism, Ioannis N., 2006, Immiscible CO₂-H₂O fluids in the shallow crust:  Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems (G3), v. 7, Q10003, doi:10.1029/2005GC001107. [PDF]

Kaszuba, John P., Janecky, David R., and Snow, Marjorie G., 2005, Experimental evaluation of mixed fluid reactions between supercritical carbon dioxide and NaCl brine:  Relevance to the integrity of a geologic carbon repository:  Chemical Geology, v. 217, no. 3-4, p. 277-293. [PDF]

Kaszuba, John P., Janecky, David R., and Snow, Marjorie G., 2003, Carbon dioxide reaction processes in a model brine aquifer at 200oC and 200 bars: Implications for geologic sequestration of carbon:  Applied Geochemistry, v. 18, no. 7, p. 1065-1080. [PDF]

Courses

1100 Physical Geology

2010 Mineralogy

4200-5 Climate Change

5450 Geochemical Modeling

4200-7/5200-9 Carbon Capture & Storage

Current Graduate Students

• MaryKate McCarney - MS Candidate

Teaching Statement

Important components of my teaching approach are experiential learning; integrated field, laboratory (qualitative and quantitative/analytical), and classroom techniques; and incorporation of active research questions into field trips, laboratory experiments, and problem sets.  Important goals are to develop in students the ability to recognize and articulate significant problems, the solutions to which represent important contributions to science and society, as well as abilities to identify problems, think creatively, and embrace change.  I strive to foster these qualities in students as teacher and mentor in the classroom, the field, and the laboratory.