HOUSTON, June 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Gastar Exploration Inc. (NYSE MKT: GST) ("Gastar") reported today initial and 30-day average production on its second Utica Point/Pleasant well.  The Blake U-7H well located in Marshall County, West Virginia produced at a peak 48-hour gross sales rate of 36.8 MMcf/d of natural gas on a 32/64ths choke with approximately 6,235 psi of flowing casing pressure.  On a restricted flow basis, the well's post peak rate 30-day production averaged 20.2 MMcf/d on a 26/64ths choke with approximately 5,312 psi of flowing casing pressure.  The most recent 5-day average rate is 14.8 MMcf/d at approximately 5,008 psi of flowing casing pressure.  The Blake U-7H well was drilled with a lateral length of 6,617 feet and was completed with 34 hydraulic fracturing stages that used approximately 14.8 million pounds of proppant.  Gastar has a 50% working interest in the Blake U-7H well and 41.1% net revenue interest in the well.

J. Russell Porter, Gastar's President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "We are very pleased with the results of our second dry gas Utica well as it demonstrates the consistency of the prolific production from the Utica/Point Pleasant play across our leasehold.  Currently, we have no plans to drill another Utica/Point Pleasant well on our acreage until regional natural gas prices improve and returns on investment become competitive relative to our other internal investment opportunities."