Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)

Registration No. 333-217168

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT NO. 5

(to Prospectus dated March 23, 2018)

169,933,626 Shares

 

GASTAR EXPLORATION INC.

Common Stock

 

This prospectus supplement is being filed to update and supplement information contained in the prospectus dated March 23, 2018, relating to the resale or other disposition of our common stock par value $0.001 per share, which may be offered for sale from time to time by the selling stockholders named in the prospectus, with information contained in our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 29, 2018.

This prospectus supplement updates and supplements the information in the prospectus and is not complete without, and may not be delivered or utilized except in combination with, the prospectus, including any amendments or supplements thereto. This prospectus supplement should be read in conjunction with the prospectus and if there is any inconsistency between the information in the prospectus and this prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement.

 

Investing in our securities involves risk. Please see “Risk Factors” beginning on page 3 of the prospectus for a discussion of certain risks that you should consider in connection with an investment in the securities.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

This prospectus supplement is dated June 29, 2018.

 

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): June 26, 2018

 

GASTAR EXPLORATION INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

 

 

(713) 739-1800

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

 

 

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SECTION 1 – REGISTRANT’S BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS

Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On June 26, 2018, Gastar Exploration Inc. (the “Company”) entered into an amended and restated indemnification agreement (the “Indemnification Agreements”) with each of its directors and officers (collectively, the “Indemnitees”). The Indemnification Agreements generally require the Company to indemnify the Indemnitees to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against liability that may arise by reason of their service to the Company. Each of the Indemnification Agreements provides for the advancement of expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding against such individual as to which he or she could be indemnified.

The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the form of Indemnification Agreement, which is attached as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated in this Item 1.01 by reference.

SECTION 5 - CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

The description of the Indemnification Agreements under Item 1.01 is incorporated in this Item 5.02 by reference. A copy of the form of Indemnification Agreements is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

On June 26, 2018, the Company held its 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”). Certain funds managed indirectly by Ares Management LLC, the sole holders of 2,000 shares of Special Voting Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Special Voting Shares”) of the Company, which represents 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of Special Voting Shares, voted the 2,000 shares of Special Voting Shares by written ballot in favor of electing each of Ronald D. Scott and Nathan W. Walton (collectively, the “Special Voting Shares Designees”) to the board of directors of the Company. Each of the Special Voting Shares Designees will be a Preferred Director as such term is defined in the previously filed Certificate of Designation in respect of the Special Voting Shares (the “Special Voting Shares Certificate of Designation”) and each of the Special Voting Shares Designees will serve for the term commencing immediately upon the conclusion of the Annual Meeting and continuing until the next annual meeting of the stockholders of the Company and until his successor is duly elected and qualified, unless such Preferred Director is earlier removed in accordance with the Special Voting Shares Certificate of Designation, resigns or is otherwise unable to serve.

As of May 11, 2018, the record date for the Annual Meeting, 220,105,332 shares of common stock were issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. A summary of the matters voted upon by the stockholders and the final voting results for each such matter are set forth below.

Proposal 1 - Election of Directors to the Board

The Company’s stockholders elected each of the following persons as directors to serve for terms of one year until the next annual meeting and their successors have been elected and qualified. The voting results were as follows:

 

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Proposal 2 - Ratification of the Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Company’s stockholders approved a proposal to ratify the appointment of BDO USA, LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2018. The voting results were as follows:

Proposal 3 - Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation

The Company’s stockholders approved on a non-binding advisory basis the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers as disclosed in the proxy statement pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The voting results were as follows:

 

SECTION 9 - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits

 

The following is a list of exhibits filed as part of this Form 8-K:

 

 

Exhibit No.        Description of Document    

 

10.1              Form of Amended and Restated Indemnification Agreement.

 

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

 

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Exhibit 10.1

FORM OF INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

This Indemnification Agreement (this “Agreement”), dated as of          , is by and between Gastar Exploration Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and            (the “Indemnitee”).

WHEREAS, Indemnitee is willing to serve as a director and/or officer of the Company on the condition that the Indemnitee is indemnified and covered under the Company’s directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, as set forth in this Agreement;

WHEREAS, both the Company and Indemnitee recognize the increased risk of litigation and other claims being asserted against directors and officers of public companies;

WHEREAS, the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that enhancing the ability of the Company to retain and attract as directors and officers the most capable persons is in the best interests of the Company and that the Company therefore should seek to assure such persons that indemnification and insurance coverage is available; and

WHEREAS, in recognition of the need to provide Indemnitee with substantial protection against personal liability, in order to procure Indemnitee’s continued service as a director and/or officer of the Company and to enhance Indemnitee’s ability to serve the Company in an effective manner, and in order to provide such protection pursuant to express contract rights (intended to be enforceable irrespective of, among other things, any amendment to the Company’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws (collectively, the “Constituent Documents”), any change in the composition of the Board or any change in control or business combination transaction relating to the Company), the Company wishes to provide in this Agreement for the indemnification of, and the advancement of Expenses (as defined in 1(g) below) to, Indemnitee  and to cover Indemnitee under the Company’s directors' and officers' liability insurance policies as set forth in this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the Indemnitee’s agreement to serve as a director of the Company, the parties agree as follows:

1.Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(a)“Beneficial Owner” has the meaning given to the term “beneficial owner” in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).

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(b)“Business Day” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in Houston, Texas are authorized or required by law to be closed.

(c)“Change in Control” means the occurrence after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:

(i)any Person is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 50% or more of the Company’s then outstanding Voting Securities unless the change in relative Beneficial Ownership of the Company’s securities by any Person results solely from a reduction in the aggregate number of outstanding shares of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; provided that the prior acquisition of the Company’s Common Stock, par value $0.01 (the “Common Stock”) and Convertible Notes due 2022 (the “Convertible Notes”) by Ares Management LLC or its affiliates shall not constitute and shall not be deemed to have constituted a Change in Control; provided further that for purposes of determining whether a Change in Control has taken place, a holder of Convertible Notes shall not be deemed to be a Beneficial Owner of such securities until such Convertible Notes are converted into Common Stock;

(ii)the consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation, unless immediately following such reorganization, merger or consolidation, all of the Beneficial Owners of the Voting Securities of the Company immediately prior to such transaction beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the combined voting power of the outstanding Voting Securities of the entity resulting from such transaction;

(iii)during any period of two consecutive years, not including any period prior to the execution of this Agreement, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the Board (including for this purpose any new directors whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; or

(iv)the stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets.

(d)“Claim” means:

(i)any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, proceeding or alternative dispute resolution mechanism, whether civil, criminal, administrative,

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arbitrative, investigative or other, and whether made pursuant to federal, state or other law; or

(ii)any inquiry, hearing or investigation that the Indemnitee determines might lead to the institution of any such action, suit, proceeding or alternative dispute resolution mechanism.

(e)“Delaware Court” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 8(e) below.

(f)“Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Claim in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.

(g)“Expenses” means any and all expenses, including attorneys’ and experts’ fees, document and e-discovery costs, litigation expenses, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, travel expenses, duplicating, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, and all other costs and expenses incurred in connection with investigating, defending, being a witness in or participating in (including on appeal), or preparing to defend, be a witness or participate in, any Claim. Expenses also shall include (i) Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Claim, including without limitation the premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent, and (ii) for purposes of Section 4 only, Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement, by litigation or otherwise. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee. The parties agree that for the purposes of any advancement of Expenses for which Indemnitee has made written demand to the Company in accordance with this Agreement, all Expenses included in such demand that are certified by affidavit of Indemnitee’s counsel as being reasonable shall be presumed conclusively to be reasonable. “Expense Advance” means any payment of Expenses advanced to Indemnitee by the Company pursuant to Section 3 or Section 4 hereof.

(h)“Indemnifiable Event” means any event or occurrence, whether occurring before, on or after the date of this Agreement, related to the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, member, manager, trustee or agent of any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity or enterprise (collectively with the Company and its subsidiaries, “Enterprise”) or by reason of an action or inaction by Indemnitee in any such capacity (whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any Loss is incurred for which indemnification can be provided under this Agreement).

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(i)“Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently performs, nor in the past three years has performed, services for either: (i) the Company or Indemnitee (other than in connection with matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement or of other indemnitees under similar agreements) or (ii) any other party to the Claim giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement.

(j)“Losses” means any and all Expenses, damages, losses, liabilities, judgments, fines, penalties (whether civil, criminal or other), ERISA excise taxes, amounts paid or payable in settlement, including any interest, assessments, any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement and all other charges paid or payable in connection with investigating, defending, being a witness in or participating in (including on appeal), or preparing to defend, be a witness or participate in, any Claim.

(k)“Person” means any individual, corporation, firm, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, estate, trust, business association, organization, governmental entity or other entity and includes the meaning set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act.

(l)“Standard of Conduct Determination” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 8(b) below.

(m)“Voting Securities” means any securities of the Company that vote generally in the election of directors.

2.Indemnification. Subject to Section 8 and Section 9 of this Agreement, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the State of Delaware in effect on the date hereof, or as such laws may from time to time hereafter be amended to increase the scope of such permitted indemnification, against any and all Losses if Indemnitee was or is or becomes a party to or participant in, or is threatened to be made a party to or participant in, any Claim by reason of or arising in part out of an Indemnifiable Event, including, without limitation, Claims brought by or in the right of the Company, Claims brought by third parties, and Claims in which the Indemnitee is solely a witness.

3.Advancement of Expenses. Indemnitee shall have the right to advancement by the Company, prior to the final disposition of any Claim by final adjudication to which there are no further rights of appeal, of any and all Expenses actually and reasonably paid or incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Claim arising out of an Indemnifiable

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Event. Indemnitee’s right to such advancement is not subject to the satisfaction of any standard of conduct. Without limiting the generality or effect of the foregoing, within 10 Business Days after any request by Indemnitee, the Company shall, in accordance with such request, (a) pay such Expenses on behalf of Indemnitee, (b) advance to Indemnitee funds in an amount sufficient to pay such Expenses, or (c) reimburse Indemnitee for such Expenses. In connection with any request for Expense Advances, Indemnitee shall not be required to provide any documentation or information to the extent that the provision thereof would undermine or otherwise jeopardize attorney-client privilege. Execution and delivery to the Company of this Agreement by Indemnitee constitutes an undertaking by the Indemnitee to repay any amounts paid, advanced or reimbursed by the Company pursuant to this Section 3 in respect of Expenses relating to, arising out of or resulting from any Claim in respect of which it shall be determined, pursuant to Section 8, following the final disposition of such Claim, that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification hereunder.  No other form of undertaking shall be required other than the execution of this Agreement. Indemnitee’s obligation to reimburse the Company for Expense Advances shall be unsecured and no interest shall be charged thereon.

4.Indemnification for Expenses in Enforcing Rights. To the fullest extent allowable under applicable law, the Company shall also indemnify against, and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall advance to Indemnitee subject to and in accordance with Section 3, any Expenses actually and reasonably paid or incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any action or proceeding by Indemnitee for (a) indemnification or reimbursement or advance payment of Expenses by the Company under any provision of this Agreement, or under any other agreement or provision of the Constituent Documents now or hereafter in effect relating to Claims relating to Indemnifiable Events, and/or (b) recovery under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification or insurance recovery, as the case may be. Indemnitee shall be required to reimburse the Company in the event that a final judicial determination is made that such action brought by Indemnitee was frivolous or not made in good faith.

5.Partial Indemnity. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for a portion of any Losses in respect of a Claim related to an Indemnifiable Event but not for the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which Indemnitee is entitled.

6.Notification and Defense of Claims.

(a)Notification of Claims. Indemnitee shall notify the Company in writing as soon as practicable of any Claim which could relate to an Indemnifiable Event or for which Indemnitee could seek Expense Advances, including a brief description (based upon information then available to Indemnitee) of the nature of, and the facts underlying, such Claim. The failure by Indemnitee to timely notify the Company hereunder shall not

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relieve the Company from any liability hereunder unless the Company’s ability to participate in the defense of such claim was materially and adversely affected by such failure. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the applicable insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the applicable policies. The Company shall provide to Indemnitee a copy of such notice delivered to the applicable insurers, and copies of all subsequent correspondence between the Company and such insurers regarding the Claim, in each case substantially concurrently with the delivery or receipt thereof by the Company.

(b)Defense of Claims. The Company shall be entitled to participate in the defense of any Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event at its own expense and, except as otherwise provided below, to the extent the Company so wishes, it may assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to Indemnitee. After notice from the Company to Indemnitee of its election to assume the defense of any such Claim, the Company shall not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise for any Expenses subsequently directly incurred by Indemnitee in connection with Indemnitee’s defense of such Claim other than reasonable costs of investigation or as otherwise provided below. Indemnitee shall have the right to employ its own legal counsel in such Claim, but all Expenses related to such counsel incurred after notice from the Company of its assumption of the defense shall be at Indemnitee’s own expense; provided, however, that if (i) Indemnitee’s employment of its own legal counsel has been authorized by the Company, (ii) Indemnitee has reasonably determined that there may be a conflict of interest between Indemnitee and the Company in the defense of such Claim, (iii) after a Change in Control, Indemnitee’s employment of its own counsel has been approved by the Independent Counsel or (iv) the Company shall not in fact have employed counsel to assume the defense of such Claim, then Indemnitee shall be entitled to retain its own separate counsel (but not more than one law firm plus, if applicable, local counsel in respect of any such Claim) and all Expenses related to such separate counsel shall be borne by the Company.

7.Procedure upon Application for Indemnification. In order to obtain indemnification pursuant to this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request therefor, including in such request such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification following the final disposition of the Claim, provided that documentation and information need not be so provided to the extent that the provision thereof would undermine or otherwise jeopardize attorney-client privilege. Indemnification shall be made insofar as the Company determines Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification in accordance with Section 8 below.

8.Determination of Right to Indemnification.

(a)Mandatory Indemnification; Indemnification as a Witness.

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(i)To the extent that Indemnitee shall have been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event or any portion thereof or in defense of any issue or matter therein, including without limitation dismissal without prejudice, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Losses relating to such Claim in accordance with Section 2 to the fullest extent allowable by law.

(ii)To the extent that Indemnitee’s involvement in a Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event is to prepare to serve and serve as a witness, and not as a party, the Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Losses incurred in connection therewith to the fullest extent allowable by law.

(b)Standard of Conduct. To the extent that the provisions of Section 8(a) are inapplicable to a Claim related to an Indemnifiable Event that shall have been finally disposed of, any determination of whether Indemnitee has satisfied any applicable standard of conduct under Delaware law that is a legally required condition to indemnification of Indemnitee hereunder against Losses relating to such Claim and any determination that Expense Advances must be repaid to the Company (a “Standard of Conduct Determination”) shall be made as follows:  

(i)if no Change in Control has occurred, (A) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even if less than a quorum of the Board, (B) by a committee of Disinterested Directors designated by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum or (C) if there are no such Disinterested Directors, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion addressed to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee; and

(ii)if a Change in Control shall have occurred, (A) if the Indemnitee so requests in writing, by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even if less than a quorum of the Board or (B) otherwise, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion addressed to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee.

The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee against and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall reimburse Indemnitee for, or advance to Indemnitee, within 10 days of such request, any and all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in cooperating with the person or persons making such Standard of Conduct Determination.

(c)Making the Standard of Conduct Determination. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause any Standard of Conduct Determination required under Section 8(b) to be made as promptly as practicable. If the person or persons designated to make the Standard of Conduct Determination under Section 8(b) shall not have made a determination within 30 days after the later of (A) receipt by the Company of a written request from Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 7 (the date of such receipt being the “Notification Date”) and (B) the selection of an Independent Counsel, if such determination is to be made by Independent Counsel, then Indemnitee

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shall be deemed to have satisfied the applicable standard of conduct; provided that such 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional 10 days, if the person or persons making such determination in good faith requires such additional time to obtain or evaluate information relating thereto. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to entitlement of Indemnitee to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of any Claim.

(d)Payment of Indemnification. If, in regard to any Losses:

(i)Indemnitee shall be entitled to indemnification pursuant to
Section 8(a);  

(ii)no Standard Conduct Determination is legally required as a condition to indemnification of Indemnitee hereunder; or  

(iii)Indemnitee has been determined or deemed pursuant to Section 8(b) or Section 8(c) to have satisfied the Standard of Conduct Determination,  

then the Company shall pay to Indemnitee, within 5 Business Days after the later of (A) the Notification Date or (B) the earliest date on which the applicable criterion specified in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) is satisfied, an amount equal to such Losses.

(e)Selection of Independent Counsel for Standard of Conduct Determination. If a Standard of Conduct Determination is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 8(b)(i), the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board of Directors, and the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising him of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. If a Standard of Conduct Determination is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 8(b)(ii), the Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee, and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. In either case, Indemnitee or the Company, as applicable, may, within 5 Business Days after receiving written notice of selection from the other, deliver to the other a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not satisfy the criteria set forth in the definition of “Independent Counsel” in Section 1(i), and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person or firm so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is properly and timely made and substantiated, (i) the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court has determined that such objection is without merit; and (ii) the non-objecting party may, at its option, select an alternative Independent Counsel and give written notice to the other party advising such other party of the identity of the alternative Independent Counsel so selected, in which case the provisions of the two immediately preceding

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sentences, the introductory clause of this sentence and numbered clause (i) of this sentence shall apply to such subsequent selection and notice. If applicable, the provisions of clause (ii) of the immediately preceding sentence shall apply to successive alternative selections. If no Independent Counsel that is permitted under the foregoing provisions of this Section 8(e) to make the Standard of Conduct Determination shall have been selected within 20 days after the Company gives its initial notice pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 8(e) or Indemnitee gives its initial notice pursuant to the second sentence of this Section 8(e), as the case may be, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (“Delaware Court”) to resolve any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or to appoint as Independent Counsel a person to be selected by the Court or such other person as the Court shall designate, and the person or firm with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person or firm so appointed will act as Independent Counsel. In all events, the Company shall pay all of the reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel incurred in connection with the Independent Counsel’s determination pursuant to Section 8(b).

(f)Presumptions and Defenses.

(i)Indemnitee’s Entitlement to Indemnification. In making any Standard of Conduct Determination, the person or persons making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee has satisfied the applicable standard of conduct and is entitled to indemnification, and the Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption and establish that Indemnitee is not so entitled. Any Standard of Conduct Determination that is adverse to Indemnitee may be challenged by the Indemnitee in the Delaware Court. No determination by the Company (including by its directors or any Independent Counsel) that Indemnitee has not satisfied any applicable standard of conduct may be used as a defense to any legal proceedings brought by Indemnitee to secure indemnification or reimbursement or advance payment of Expenses by the Company hereunder or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met any applicable standard of conduct.

(ii)Reliance as a Safe Harbor. For purposes of this Agreement, and without creating any presumption as to a lack of good faith if the following circumstances do not exist, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company if Indemnitee’s actions or omissions to act are taken in good faith reliance upon the records of the Company, including its financial statements, or upon information, opinions, reports or statements furnished to Indemnitee by the officers or employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries in the course of their duties, or by committees of the Board or by any other Person (including legal counsel, accountants and financial advisors) as to matters Indemnitee reasonably believes are within such other Person’s professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the

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Company. In addition, the knowledge and/or actions, or failures to act, of any director, officer, agent or employee of the Company shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnity hereunder.

(iii)No Other Presumptions. For purposes of this Agreement, the termination of any Claim by judgment, order, settlement (whether with or without court approval) or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, will not create a presumption that Indemnitee did not meet any applicable standard of conduct or have any particular belief, or that indemnification hereunder is otherwise not permitted.

(iv)Defense to Indemnification and Burden of Proof. It shall be a defense to any action brought by Indemnitee against the Company to enforce this Agreement (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for Losses incurred in defending against a Claim related to an Indemnifiable Event in advance of its final disposition) that it is not permissible under applicable law for the Company to indemnify Indemnitee for the amount claimed. In connection with any such action or any related Standard of Conduct Determination, the burden of proving such a defense or that the Indemnitee did not satisfy the applicable standard of conduct shall be on the Company.

(v)Resolution of Claims. The Company acknowledges that a settlement or other disposition short of final judgment may be successful on the merits or otherwise for purposes of Section 8(a)(i) if it permits a party to avoid expense, delay, distraction, disruption and uncertainty. In the event that any Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event to which Indemnitee is a party is resolved in any manner other than by adverse judgment against Indemnitee (including, without limitation, settlement of such action, claim or proceeding with our without payment of money or other consideration) it shall be presumed that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise for purposes of Section 8(a)(i). The Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome this presumption.

9.Exclusions from Indemnification. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall not be obligated to:

(a)indemnify or advance funds to Indemnitee for Expenses or Losses with respect to proceedings initiated by Indemnitee, including any proceedings against the Company or its directors, officers, employees or other indemnitees and not by way of defense, except:

(i)proceedings referenced in Section 4 above (unless a court of competent jurisdiction determines that each of the material assertions made by Indemnitee in such proceeding was not made in good faith or was frivolous); or

(ii)where the Company has joined in or the Board has consented to the initiation of such proceedings.

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(b)indemnify Indemnitee if a final decision by a court of competent jurisdiction determines that such indemnification is prohibited by applicable law.

(c)indemnify Indemnitee for the disgorgement of profits arising from the purchase or sale by Indemnitee of securities of the Company in violation of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, or any similar successor statute.

(d)indemnify or advance funds to Indemnitee for Indemnitee’s reimbursement to the Company of any bonus or other incentive-based or equity-based compensation previously received by Indemnitee or payment of any profits realized by Indemnitee from the sale of securities of the Company, as required in each case under the Exchange Act (including any such reimbursements under Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 in connection with an accounting restatement of the Company or the payment to the Company of profits arising from the purchase or sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 306 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act).

10.Settlement of Claims. The Company shall not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of any threatened or pending Claim related to an Indemnifiable Event effected without the Company’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld; provided, however, that if a Change in Control has occurred, the Company shall be liable for indemnification of the Indemnitee for amounts paid in settlement if an Independent Counsel has approved the settlement. The Company shall not settle any Claim related to an Indemnifiable Event in any manner that would impose any Losses on the Indemnitee without the Indemnitee’s prior written consent.

11.Duration. All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue during the period that Indemnitee is a director and/or officer of the Company (or is serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, member, trustee or agent of another Enterprise) and shall continue thereafter (i) so long as Indemnitee may be subject to any possible Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event (including any rights of appeal thereto) and (ii) throughout the pendency of any proceeding (including any rights of appeal thereto) commenced by Indemnitee to enforce or interpret his rights under this Agreement, even if, in either case, he or she may have ceased to serve in such capacity at the time of any such Claim or proceeding.

12.Non-Exclusivity. The rights of Indemnitee hereunder will be in addition to any other rights Indemnitee may have under the Constituent Documents, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, any other contract or otherwise (collectively, “Other Indemnity Provisions”); provided, however, that (a) to the extent that Indemnitee otherwise would have any greater right to indemnification under any Other Indemnity Provision, Indemnitee will be deemed to have such greater right hereunder and (b) to the extent that any change is made to any Other Indemnity Provision which permits any greater right to indemnification than that provided under this Agreement as of the date hereof, Indemnitee will be deemed to have such greater right hereunder. The

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Company will not adopt any amendment to any of the Constituent Documents the effect of which would be to deny, diminish or encumber Indemnitee’s right to indemnification under this Agreement or any Other Indemnity Provision.

13.Liability Insurance. For the duration of Indemnitee’s service as a director and/or officer of the Company, and thereafter for so long as Indemnitee shall be subject to any pending Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event, the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts (taking into account the scope and amount of coverage available relative to the cost thereof) to continue to maintain in effect policies of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance providing coverage that is at least substantially comparable in scope and amount to that provided by the Company’s current policies of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance. In all policies of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance maintained by the Company, Indemnitee shall be named as an insured in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee the same rights and benefits as are provided to the most favorably insured of the Company’s directors, if Indemnitee is a director, or of the Company’s officers, if Indemnitee is an officer (and not a director) by such policy. Upon request, the Company will provide to Indemnitee copies of all directors’ and officers’ liability insurance applications, binders, policies, declarations, endorsements and other related materials.  In the event of and immediately upon a Change in Control, the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that a policy or policies of insurance (which may be a “tail” policy) shall be continued, procured and otherwise maintained in effect for a period of six (6) years from the date on which such Change in Control is effective (the “Change in Control Coverage”), providing Indemnitee with coverage for losses from alleged acts of the Indemnitee relating to Indemnitee’s services to the Company occurring on or before the effective date of the Change in Control.   If directors’ and officers’ liability insurance is in place immediately prior to the Change in Control, then the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to (i) ensure that the Change in Control Coverage shall contain limits,  retentions or deductibles, terms and exclusions that are no less favorable to Indemnitee than those set forth above, (ii) ensure that each policy evidencing the Change in Control Coverage shall be non-cancellable by the insurer except for non-payment of premium and (iii) ensure that no such policy shall contain any provision that limits or impacts adversely any right or privilege of Indemnitee given by this Agreement.

14.No Duplication of Payments. The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment to Indemnitee in respect of any Losses to the extent Indemnitee has otherwise received payment under any insurance policy, the Constituent Documents, Other Indemnity Provisions or otherwise of the amounts otherwise indemnifiable by the Company hereunder.

15.Subrogation. In the event of payment to Indemnitee under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee. Indemnitee shall execute all papers required and shall do

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everything that may be necessary to secure such rights, including the execution of such documents necessary to enable the Company effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.

16.Amendments. No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be binding unless in the form of a writing signed by the party against whom enforcement of the waiver is sought, and no such waiver shall operate as a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar), nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver. Except as specifically provided herein, no failure to exercise or any delay in exercising any right or remedy hereunder shall constitute a waiver thereof.

17.Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company), assigns, spouses, heirs and personal and legal representatives. The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substances satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.

18.Severability. The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable in the event that any of the provisions hereof (including any portion thereof) are held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or otherwise unenforceable, and the remaining provisions shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law. Furthermore, to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of this Agreement containing any provision held to be invalid, illegal, void or otherwise unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal, void or otherwise unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal, void or otherwise unenforceable.

19.Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if delivered by hand, against receipt, or mailed, by postage prepaid, certified or registered mail:

(a)if to Indemnitee, to the address set forth on the signature page hereto.

Gastar Exploration Inc.

Attn:  Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer

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1331 Lamar Street, Suite 650

Houston, Texas 77010

Notice of change of address shall be effective only when given in accordance with this Section. All notices complying with this Section shall be deemed to have been received on the date of hand delivery or on the third Business Day after mailing.

20.Governing Law and Forum. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware applicable to contracts made and to be performed in such state without giving effect to its principles of conflicts of laws. The Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally: (a) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Delaware Court and not in any other state or federal court in the United States, (b) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, (c) agree that any legal service of process required by Delaware law on such party may be made pursuant to the notice provisions of Section 19 hereof or any other means authorized by Delaware law, and that such delivery shall constitute acceptance of legal process in connection with any such action or proceeding against such party with the same legal force and validity as if served upon such party personally within the State of Delaware and (d) waive, and agree not to plead or make, any claim that the Delaware Court lacks venue or that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum.

 

21.Entire Agreement.  This Agreement shall supersede and replace all prior agreements  between the Company or its predecessors, including Gastar Exploration Ltd., and the Indemnitee respecting the matters set forth herein, and shall constitute the entire agreement between the parties hereto in respect of the matters set forth herein.  

21.Headings. The headings of the sections and paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction or interpretation thereof.

22.Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.

 

 

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

 

 

 

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