Rice Energy Inc. (RICE) priced a public offering of 6 million common shares owned by NGP Rice Holdings LLC, a Natural Gas Partners affiliate, at $24.20 each, the company said May 12.

NGP Rice Holdings will receive all $145.2 million in proceeds.

Underwriters were granted a monthlong option to purchase 900,000 additional shares, Rice said.

Goldman Sachs & Co. and Citigroup are joint book-running managers.

Canonsburg, Pa.-based Rice Energy Inc. operates in the Appalachian Basin.