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 OF SECURITIES
                                                                                  
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Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
                      

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *

Roberts Stephen Phillip 		2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol

Gastar Exploration Inc. [ GST ] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)

_____ Director                      _____ 10% Owner
__ X __ Officer (give title below)      _____ Other (specify below)
Senior VP & COO
(Last)          (First)          (Middle)

1331 LAMAR, SUITE 650 		3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YYYY)

1/30/2018
(Street)

HOUSTON, TX 77010
(City)        (State)        (Zip)
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)

 
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

_ X _ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3) 		2. Trans. Date 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any 3. Trans. 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   1/30/2018     A    191406   (1) A $0.00   1691406   (2) D    

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivate Security
(Instr. 3) 		2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Trans. Date 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any 4. Trans. 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 7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(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
2018 Perforamance Based Units   $0.00   1/30/2018     A      191406         (3) 1/30/2021   Common Stock   191406   (4) $0.00   191406   D    

Explanation of Responses:
(1)  The reported shares were acquired pursuant to a restricted share grant and will vest in three equal annual installments beginning on January 30, 2019.
(2)  Includes 1,500,000 shares acquired on various dates pursuant to previously reported restricted share grants that will vest subject to previously disclosed vesting schedules.
(3)  These PBUs vest in their entirety at the end of the three-year performance period with settlement in common stock between 0% and 200% (**subject to limitations discussed in Footnote 4 below) of the target award based on Gastar's share price appreciation over a three-year performance period relative to a peer index. Share price appreciation is measured generally as the change in market value of common stock during the performance period. The PBUs have no voting rights but provide for dividend equivalents to be paid upon vesting.
(4)  The number of PBUs reported (191,406) represents the target award. As such, the number of shares that may be issued upon vesting ranges from 0 shares to 382,812 shares. **As discussed in Footnote 3 above, at the end of the performance period, the participant may earn up to 200% of the target award, subject to a maximum award limitation of one million (1,000,000) shares that may be issued to any individual in a calendar year under the Gastar Exploration Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address
Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Roberts Stephen Phillip
1331 LAMAR, SUITE 650
HOUSTON, TX 77010

Senior VP & COO

Signatures
/s/ Stephen P. Roberts, by Michael A. Gerlich as Attorney in Fact 2/1/2018
** Signature of Reporting Person Date


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).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.