Exhibit 99.1

    Gastar Exploration Announces Latest Bossier Completion Results
                          and Drilling Update

    HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 14, 2006--Gastar Exploration Ltd.
(AMEX:GST)(TSX:YGA) is pleased to announce the following results from
completion operations on its East Texas deep Bossier play in the
Hilltop area.
    Gastar has recently re-completed the Donelson #2 well by adding a
completion in the Pettet formation. The Pettet completion is producing
at a stabilized gross rate of 4 MMCFD and approximately 50 barrels of
high-grade condensate per day. The Donelson #2 well is also producing
approximately 750 MCFD from the Knowles formation. Gastar has a 100%
working interest and 75% net revenue interest in the Donelson #2 well.
    Gastar has also completed the Wildman Trust #1 well in two zones,
a middle Bossier formation at approximately 15,600 feet and an upper
Bossier formation at approximately 15,300 feet. The well is currently
producing at a gross rate of .9 MMCFD of natural gas and still
producing back fluids used in the completion of the upper Bossier
zone. The well was stimulated in two stages. The first stage has
produced a stabilized gross rate of 1.6 MMCFD from a thin middle
Bossier interval. The second stage is unexpectedly producing water
from an upper Bossier interval. Gastar is currently evaluating the
second stage results and will monitor production over several weeks,
including production logging, in order to understand the source of the
water production. Gastar has a 67% working interest and 50% net
revenue interest in the Wildman Trust #1 well with Chesapeake Energy
Corporation (NYSE:CHK) owning the remaining 33% working interest and
an approximate 25% net revenue interest.
    Gastar is currently drilling two additional Bossier wells in the
Hilltop area. The John Parker #1 well is drilling at 12,356 feet for a
middle Bossier target with an estimated total depth of 17,500 feet.
This well is located on the northwestern portion of Gastar's leasehold
position and is in a structural position projected to be similar to
recent successful wells drilled in close proximity by ConocoPhillips
(NYSE:COP) and EnCana Corp. (NYSE:ECA). Gastar's working interest in
the well is approximately 42% before casing point (BCP) and 50% after
casing point (ACP). Chesapeake Energy Corporation holds a 33% BCP and
25% ACP working interest with an unrelated private exploration and
production company holding the remaining 25% working interest.
    The Wildman Trust #2 well is drilling at 13,013 feet to a lower
Bossier target with an estimated total depth of 19,200 feet. This well
is being drilled to test the same lower Bossier series of sands that
are productive in Gastar's Donelson #1 well as well as middle and
upper Bossier sands found in the Wildman Trust #1 well. Gastar's
working interest is approximately 56% BCP (67% ACP) in the Wildman
Trust #2 well with Chesapeake Energy Corporation holding the remaining
44% BCP working interest (33% ACP working interest).
    Commenting on the announcements, J. Russell Porter, Gastar's
President & CEO, stated, "The Wildman Trust #1 well production rate is
unexpectedly low given the results of the first frac but we will
produce the well and evaluate whether there are any remedial steps
that can be taken to increase the gas flow rates. The Pettet
re-completion in the Donelson #2 well is an example of the benefits of
multiple productive formations that are present on our Hilltop
holdings. The John Parker #1 is Gastar's first middle Bossier
exploratory well to be drilled in a similar geologic position as the
successful middle Bossier wells drilled by ConocoPhillips and EnCana.
If successful, Gastar can drill numerous similar locations on the
northern portion of our acreage holdings. The Wildman Trust #2 well is
expected to provide further confirmation of the continuity of the
productive lower Bossier sands within the fault blocks on the Hilltop
structure."
    Gastar Exploration Ltd. is an exploration and production company
focused on finding and developing natural gas assets in North America
and Australia. The Company pursues a balanced strategy combining
select higher risk, deep natural gas exploration prospects with lower
risk coal bed methane (CBM) development. The Company owns and controls
exploration and development acreage in the Deep Bossier gas play of
East Texas and in the deep Trenton-Black River play in the Appalachian
Basin. Gastar's CBM activities are conducted within the Powder River
Basin of Wyoming and upon the approximate 3.5 million acres controlled
by Gastar and its joint development partners in Australia's Gunnedah
Basin, PEL 238 and Gastar's Gippsland Basins located in New South
Wales and Victoria, respectively.

    Safe Harbor Statement and Disclaimer:

    This Press 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 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
press release. These include risks inherent in the drilling of natural
gas and oil wells, including risks of fire, explosion, blowout, pipe
failure, casing collapse, unusual or unexpected formation pressures,
environmental hazards, and other operating and production risks
inherent in natural gas and oil drilling and production activities,
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; risks with respect to oil and natural gas prices, a
material decline in which could cause the Company to delay or suspend
planned drilling operations or reduce production levels; and 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 and other risk
factors described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, as
filed on March 31, 2006 with the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission at www.sec.gov and on the System for Electronic Document
Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com.
    The American Stock Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange have not
reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy
of this release.

    CONTACT: Gastar Exploration, Ltd., Houston
             J. Russell Porter, 713-739-1800
             FAX: 713-739-0458
             E-Mail: rporter@gastar.com
             Web Site: www.gastar.com