Exhibit 99.1

Gastar Exploration Provides Update on Recent East Texas Drilling Results


    HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 18, 2007--Gastar Exploration Ltd.
(AMEX:GST) and (TSX:YGA) today provided an update on recent drilling
operations in East Texas. Gastar has drilled the Wildman Trust #3 well
to a total depth of 18,900 feet and, based on drilling and log
analysis, has encountered approximately 152 net feet of apparent
Bossier formation pay within six separate sands. The well is scheduled
to be completed in the deepest pay zone and placed on production in
early January 2008. The Wildman Trust #3 is an immediate offset to the
successful Donelson #3 well. Gastar has a before payout 66.67% working
interest (approximately 54% net revenue interest) in the Wildman Trust
#3 well.

    Gastar has also drilled the Lone Oak Ranch #3 (LOR #3), a
horizontal Knowles Limestone well, to a total measured depth of 16,102
feet (total vertical depth of 13,308 feet). The well encountered
approximately 155 feet of reservoir quality formation within the
2,645-foot horizontal section of the wellbore. The LOR #3 is currently
being prepared for a stimulated completion and is expected to be
placed on production in early January. Gastar has a 50.0% working
interest (approximately 37.5% net revenue interest) in the LOR #3
well.

    J. Russell Porter, Gastar's President & CEO, stated, "Gastar's
successful Bossier and Knowles wells are evidence that we continue to
build asset value through exploitation of our East Texas asset base.
The Wildman Trust #3 well has approximately 50% more net feet of
apparent pay than the Donelson #3 well and we believe has potential to
show high initial flow rates similar to the Donelson #3. Additional
offset drilling to the Donelson #3 and the Wildman Trust #3 wells is
anticipated during 2008. The LOR #3 well will be our first stimulated
horizontal Knowles Limestone well, which, if successful, will confirm
the future application of horizontal drilling across our Knowles
Limestone prospects."

    Gastar also reported that it had participated in the drilling of
the Odom #1 well, a dry hole drilled to test the lower Yegua formation
in Orange County, Texas. Gastar had a pre-promoted 25% working
interest in the Odom well. Dry hole costs net to Gastar are estimated
to be approximately $2.6 million.

    About Gastar Exploration

    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 strategy combining select higher
risk, deep natural gas exploration prospects with lower risk coal bed
methane (CBM) development. The Company owns and operates exploration
and development acreage in the deep Bossier gas play of East Texas.
Gastar's CBM activities are conducted within the Powder River Basin of
Wyoming and concentrated on over 7.0 million gross acres controlled by
Gastar and its joint development partners in Australia's Gunnedah
Basin, PEL 238, PEL 433 and PEL 434 located in New South Wales, and
the Gippsland Basin, EL 4416, located in Victoria. For more
information, visit our web site at www.gastar.com.

    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 27, 2007 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.
             J. Russell Porter, 713-739-1800
             Chief Executive Officer
             rporter@gastar.com
             or
             Investor Relations Counsel:
             DRG&E
             Lisa Elliott or Anne Pearson, 713-529-6600
             lelliott@drg-e.com
             apearson@drg-e.com