Gastar Exploration (GST) Form 4 Gastar Exploration / Nathan Walton ownership change

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

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
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

Walton Nathan

(Last) (First) (Middle)

2000 AVENUE OF THE STARS, 12TH FLOOR

(Street)

LOS ANGELES CA 90067

(City) (State) (Zip)

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)

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
05/02/2017

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

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. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	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	05/02/2017		A		52,910(1)(2)(3)	A	$0.00	52,910	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 (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	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 (Month/Day/Year)		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: 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

Explanation of Responses:

1. The reported shares were acquired pursuant to a restricted share grant and will fully vest on January 30, 2018.

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.

Remarks:

	/s/ Nathan Walton, by Naseem Sagati as Attorney in Fact	05/05/2017
	** 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 Number.