Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
Kirkpatrick Margaret D
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
NORTHWEST NATURAL GAS CO [NWN] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
VP & General Counsel
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
220 NW SECOND AVENUE		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
02/29/2012
(Street)

PORTLAND, OR 97209		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 02/29/2012   F   216 (1) D $ 0 7,365.1497 D  
Common Stock               442.7312 I See Footnote (2)

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option to Buy $ 38.3               (3) 08/03/2015 Common Stock 6,000   6,000 D  
Employee Stock Option to Buy $ 34.29               (4) 02/29/2016 Common Stock 5,000   5,000 D  
Employee Stock Option to Buy $ 44.48               (5) 02/28/2017 Common Stock 4,000   4,000 D  
Employee Stock Option to Buy $ 43.29               (6) 03/06/2018 Common Stock 4,000   4,000 D  
Employee Stock Option to Buy $ 41.15               (7) 03/04/2019 Common Stock 4,000   4,000 D  
Employee Stock Option to Buy $ 44.25               (8) 03/02/2020 Common Stock 4,000   4,000 D  
Employee Stock Option to Buy $ 45.74               (9) 03/02/2021 Common Stock 6,500   6,500 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
Kirkpatrick Margaret D
220 NW SECOND AVENUE
PORTLAND, OR 97209		       VP & General Counsel  

Signatures

 Shawn M. Filippi Attorney-in-Fact   03/02/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Shares were withheld by the issuer to cover withholding taxes on issuance of performance shares. Organization and Executive Compensation Committee certification of the payout of these performance shares was reported on Form 4 filed on February 23, 2012.
(2) Shares held in reporting person's account under Northwest Natural Gas Company's Retirement K Savings Plan as of February 29, 2012.
(3) Option was granted for 6,000 shares pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). The option fully vested on January 1, 2008.
(4) Option was granted for 5,000 shares pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). The option fully vested on January 1, 2010.
(5) Option was granted for 4,000 shares pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). The option fully vested on January 1, 2011.
(6) Option was granted for 4,000 shares pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). The option fully vested on January 1, 2012.
(7) Option was granted for 4,000 shares pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). The option vests in installments of 1,000 shares on each February 25, 2010 and January 1, 2011, 2012 and 2013.
(8) Option was granted for 4,000 shares pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). The option vests in installments of 1,000 shares on each February 24, 2011 and January 1, 2012, 2013 and 2014.
(9) Option was granted for 6,500 shares pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). The option vests in installments of 1,625 shares on each February 23, 2012 and January 1, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

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