Sec Form 4 Filing - Walton Nathan @ Gastar Exploration Inc. - 2018-01-30

FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person Walton Nathan 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol Gastar Exploration Inc. [ GST] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) X __ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) 2000 AVENUE OF THE STARS, 12TH FLOOR 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YY) 01/30/2018 (Street) LOS ANGELES, CA90067 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YY) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) __ X __ Form filed by One Reporting Person _____ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned 1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 01/30/2018 A 62,500 ( 1 ) ( 2 ) ( 3 ) A $ 0 115,410 ( 4 ) D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities) 1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5) 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (MM/DD/YY) 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4) 8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5) 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships Director 10% Owner Officer Other Walton Nathan 2000 AVENUE OF THE STARS, 12TH FLOOR LOS ANGELES, CA90067 X Signatures /s/ Nathan Walton, by Naseem Sagati as Attorney in Fact 01/31/2018 Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

( 1 )The reported shares were acquired pursuant to a restricted share grant and will fully vest on January 30, 2019. ( 2 )These securities are held by the Reporting Person for the benefit of Ares Management LLC, which is affiliated with certain investment vehicles (collectively, "Ares") that hold common stock of the Issuer. The Reporting Person is associated with Ares. Pursuant to the policies of Ares, the Reporting Person holds these securities as a nominee on behalf, and for the sole benefit, of Ares and has assigned all economic, pecuniary and voting rights in respect of these securities to Ares. ( 3 )The amounts reported in this Form 4 do not include any securities of the Issuer held by Ares. The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of such securities of the Issuer owned by Ares and such securities of the Issuer issued to the Reporting Person, except to the extent of any pecuniary interest therein, and the filing of this Form 4 shall not be deemed an admission that the Reporting Person is the beneficial owner of or has any pecuniary interest in any such securities for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or for any other purpose. ( 4 )Includes 62,500 shares acquired on January 30, 2018 that will vest subject to disclosed vesting schedule.

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).

** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).

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