Gastar Exploration Announces Underwriters' Exercise of Over-Allotment Option

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HOUSTON, Dec. 10, 2010 /CNW/ -- Gastar Exploration Ltd. (NYSE Amex: GST) today announced that the underwriters of its previously announced underwritten public offering of common shares have exercised in full their option to purchase an additional 1,800,000 common shares of the Company's common stock at a public offering price of $4.00 per share. As a result, the Company will issue a total of 13,800,000 common shares, and the aggregate net proceeds from this offering will be approximately $52.5 million after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses. The Company expects to issue and deliver all 13,800,000 common shares on December 13, 2010, subject to customary closing conditions.

Johnson Rice & Company L.L.C., Pritchard Capital Partners, LLC and Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. are acting as joint book-running managers of the offering and BMO Capital Markets and IBERIA Capital Partners, L.L.C. are acting as co-managers.

The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus, which have been filed with the SEC. Copies of the prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus relating to the offering, when available, may be obtained from:

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    Johnson Rice &    Pritchard Capital         Tudor, Pickering, Holt &
     Company L.L.C.   Partners, LLC             Co.
    639 Loyola
     Avenue, Suite                              1111 Bagby Street, Suite
     2775            3190 Fairview Park Drive   5100
    New Orleans, LA
     70113           Suite 550                 Houston, TX 77002
    Telephone: (504)
     525-3767        Falls Church, VA 22042    Telephone: [phone]
                     Telephone: [phone]


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An electronic copy of the prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus may also be obtained at no charge at the SEC website at www.sec.gov.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The offering may be made only by means of a prospectus and related prospectus supplement.

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    About Gastar Exploration
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Gastar Exploration Ltd. is an exploration and production company focused on finding and developing oil and natural gas assets in North America. The Company currently pursues a strategy combining deep natural gas exploration and development with lower risk shale resource development. The Company owns and operates exploration and development acreage in the deep Bossier gas play of East Texas and Marcellus Shale play in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. The Company also owns coalbed methane properties located in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming.

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    Safe Harbor Statement and Disclaimer
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This news release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934. A statement identified by the words "expects", "projects", "plans", and certain of the other foregoing statements may be deemed forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual future activities and results to be materially different from those suggested or described in this news release.

The NYSE Amex has not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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    Company Contact:
    Gastar Exploration Ltd.
    J. Russell Porter, Chief Executive Officer
    713-739-1800 / [email protected]
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    Investor Relations Counsel:
    Lisa Elliott / Anne Pearson
    DRG&L  : 713-529-6600
    [email protected] / [email protected]





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J. Russell Porter, Chief Executive Officer of Gastar Exploration Ltd., [phone], [email protected]; or Investor Relations, Lisa Elliott, [email protected], or Anne Pearson, [email protected], both of DRG&L, [phone] Web Site: http://www.gastar.com