8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 10, 2013 (December 9, 2013)

GASTAR EXPLORATION, INC.

GASTAR EXPLORATION USA, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

DELAWARE	001-32714	46-4103114
DELAWARE	001-35211	38-3531640
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

1331 LAMAR STREET, SUITE 650

HOUSTON, TEXAS 77010

(Address of principal executive offices)

(713) 739-1800

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

[ ]    Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

[ ]    Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

1-LA/547960.2

SECTION 7 - REGULATION FD

Item 7.01 Regulation FD.

On December 9, 2013, Gastar Exploration, Inc. (the "Company") announced that the borrowing base under its Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility has been confirmed by the lending participants in the amount of $100 million, effective immediately. A copy of the Company's press release, dated December 9, 2013, is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

In accordance with General Instruction B.2 of Form 8-K, the information presented herein under Item 7.01 and set forth in the attached press release included as Exhibit 99.1 to this report is deemed to be “furnished” solely pursuant to Item 7.01 of this report and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall such information or the exhibit be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act.

SECTION 9 - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

The following is a list of exhibits furnished as part of this Form 8-K:

Exhibit No.    Description of Document    

99.1    Press release dated December 9, 2013.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Exchange Act, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Date: December 10, 2013

GASTAR EXPLORATION, INC.
By:	/S/ J. RUSSELL PORTER
	J. Russell Porter
	President and Chief Executive Officer
GASTAR EXPLORATION USA, INC.
By:	/S/ J. RUSSELL PORTER
	J. Russell Porter
	President

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EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.    Description of Document    

99.1    Press release dated December 9, 2013.

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EX-99.1

For Immediate Release NEWS RELEASE Contacts: Gastar Exploration, Inc. Michael A. Gerlich, Chief Financial Officer 713-739-1800 / mgerlich@gastar.com Investor Relations Counsel: Lisa Elliott / lelliott@DennardLascar.com Anne Pearson / apearson@DennardLascar.com Dennard-Lascar Associates: 713-529-6600

Gastar Exploration Announces Expanded Credit Facility

HOUSTON, December 9, 2013 - Gastar Exploration, Inc. (“Gastar”) (NYSE MKT: GST) today announcedthat the Borrowing Base under its Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility has been confirmed by the lending participants in the amount of $100 million, effective immediately. The Borrowing Base was previously set at $50 million. Presently, Gastar has no borrowings drawn under the revolving credit facility. The next borrowing base redetermination is scheduled to occur in May 2014.

Gastar’s Chief Financial Officer, Michael A. Gerlich, commented, “This increase in our credit facility reflects the higher value of our asset base following the completion of ourWest Edmond Hunton Lime Unit (WEHLU) acquisition in Oklahoma and successful drilling in our areas of focus. We believe the additional liquidity provided by this borrowing base increase, internally generated cash flow and cash on hand will support continued development of our Hunton Lime and Marcellus assets.” 

About Gastar Exploration

Gastar Exploration, Inc. is an independent energy company engaged in the exploration, development and production of oil, natural gas, condensate and natural gas liquids in the United States. Gastar's principal business activities include the identification, acquisition, and subsequent exploration and development of oil and natural gas properties with an emphasis on unconventional reserves such as shale resource plays. Gastar is currently pursuing the development of liquids-rich natural gas in the Marcellus Shale in West Virginia and is also in the early stages of exploring and developing the Hunton Limestone horizontal oil play in Oklahoma. For more information, visit Gastar's website at www.gastar.com.

Safe Harbor Statement and Disclaimer

This news release includes “forward looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward looking statements give our current expectations, opinion, belief or forecasts of future events and performance. A statement identified by the use of forward looking words including “may,”“expects,”“projects,”“anticipates,”“plans,”“believes,”“estimate,”“will,”“should,” and certain of the other foregoing statements may be deemed forward-looking statements. Although Gastar 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. These include risks inherent in natural gas and oil drilling and production activities, including risks of fire, explosion, blowouts, pipe failure, casing collapse, unusual or unexpected formation pressures, environmental hazards, and other operating and production risks, which may temporarily or permanently reduce production or cause initial production or test results to not be indicative of future well performance or delay the timing of sales or completion of drilling operations; delays in receipt of drilling permits; risks with respect to natural gas and oil prices, a material decline in which could cause Gastar to delay or suspend planned drilling operations or reduce production levels; risks relating to the availability of capital to fund drilling operations that can be adversely affected by adverse drilling results, production declines and declines in natural gas and oil prices; risks relating to unexpected adverse developments in the status of properties; borrowing base redeterminations by our banks; risks relating to the absence or delay in receipt of government approvals or fourth party consents; risks relating to the WEHLU Acquisition; risks relating to our purchase of assets from Chesapeake Energy, including the risk of being exposed to unknown contingencies or liabilities that could cause Gastar to not realize the expected benefits of the transaction and the risk that we may be required to fund the transaction by borrowing under our revolving credit facility; risks relating to the divestiture of our East Texas assets, including the risk that the transaction will not be completed or will be completed under different terms; and other risks described in Gastar’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), available at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Our actual sales production rates can vary considerably from tested initial production rates depending upon completion and production techniques and our primary areas of operations are subject to natural steep decline rates. By issuing forward looking statements based on current expectations, opinions, views or beliefs, Gastar has no obligation and, except as required by law, is not undertaking any obligation, to update or revise these statements or provide any other information relating to such statements.

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