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 * Miller C. Alex   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 (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   108 (1) D $ 0 888.1357 D   Common Stock               944.129 I See Footnote (2)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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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

$ 44.48

(3)

02/28/2017

Common Stock

1,500

1,500

D

Employee Stock Option to Buy

$ 43.29

(4)

03/06/2018

Common Stock

1,500

1,500

D

Employee Stock Option to Buy

$ 41.15

(5)

03/04/2019

Common Stock

2,000

2,000

D

Employee Stock Option to Buy

$ 44.25

(6)

03/02/2020

Common Stock

2,000

2,000

D

Employee Stock Option to Buy

$ 45.74

(7)

03/02/2021

Common Stock

2,600

2,600

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Miller C. Alex 220 NW SECOND AVENUE PORTLAND, OR 97209			VP

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 1,500 shares pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). The option fully vested on January 1, 2011.
(4)	Option was granted for 1,500 shares pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). The option fully vested on January 1, 2012.
(5)	Option was granted for 2,000 shares pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). The option vests in installments of 500 shares on each of February 25, 2010 and January 1, 2011, 2012 and 2013.
(6)	Option was granted for 2,000 shares pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). The option vests in installments of 500 shares on each of February 24, 2011 and January 1, 2012, 2013 and 2014.
(7)	Option was granted for 2,600 shares pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). The option vests in installments of 650 shares on each of February 23, 2012 and January 1, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

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