A hearty welcome from the Technical Conference Organizers!

We are very pleased to anticipate a capacity attendance at the 2008 AGS Technical Conference, an opportunity to connect with fellow members of AGS to exchange ideas and remembrances. This conference promises to be informative, thought provoking, and historical! The oral program commemorates the 40^th anniversary of the Prudhoe Bay oil field discovery, arguably the single most important event in Alaska since statehood–underscored in recent days by both record oil prices and record State budgets. This is an opportunity for the later arrivals to Alaska and the younger generations to hear first hand from those who affected or participated in Alaska history. At the conference and in the pages that follow we will hear how it happened, or perhaps almost didn’t happen! Abstracts for the oral program are arranged in this volume in order of oral presentation.

The 2008 Technical Conference also boasts a robust slate of posters on a variety of topics on Alaska geology, a smorgasbord of ideas put to paper. Engage the authors and see how ideas on Alaska geology have progressed. The geological community thanks all the authors for their efforts to make this conference a success. Poster abstracts in this volume are arranged alphabetically by primary author following the abstracts of the oral program.

The Conference organizers thank our sponsors who helped make this event happen–ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc., BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc., FEX, and Petrotechnical Resources–Alaska (PRA). Sponsorship included the production of this Abstracts with Program volume, funds to help underwrite travel expenses for invited speakers from out of state, and funds to pay for refreshments for the event.

The Conference organizers wish to thank volunteers including Pete Barker and Tom Plawman, who assisted in contacting speakers, helped in gathering material for this volume, and assisted to get word out of the event, Mark Olson for assisting with AV gadgetry and registration, and to all those who helped with processing registrants. We also thank the AGS board for sage advice and comments.

Last, we thank all of you who took time to attend and share the day. For those individuals unable to attend today, take heart that we have plans to compile the oral presentations into a digital AGS publication.

The Conference Organizers,

• - Greg Wilson, Conference Chair

• - Art Banet, Poster Sessions and AGS President

• - Peter Johnson, Conference Arrangements

• - Mark Olson, DVD Recording and Production

Schedule of Events