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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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Williams David R   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 AVE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 02/22/2012 (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 02/22/2012   A   435 (1) A $ 0 2,536.3481 D   Common Stock               1,777.9444 I See Footnote (2) Common Stock               1,439.186 I See Footnote (3)

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

$ 34.29

(4)

02/29/2016

Common Stock

2,500

2,500

D

Employee Stock Option to Buy

$ 44.48

(5)

02/28/2017

Common Stock

2,000

2,000

D

Employee Stock Option to Buy

$ 43.29

(6)

03/06/2018

Common Stock

2,000

2,000

D

Employee Stock Option to Buy

$ 41.15

(7)

03/04/2019

Common Stock

2,000

2,000

D

Employee Stock Option to Buy

$ 44.25

(8)

03/02/2020

Common Stock

2,000

2,000

D

Employee Stock Option to Buy

$ 45.74

(9)

03/02/2021

Common Stock

3,500

3,500

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Williams David R 220 NW SECOND AVE PORTLAND, OR 97209			VP

Signatures

Shawn M. Filippi, Attorney-in-Fact		02/23/2012
**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 are issuable as a result of satisfaction of performance goals for 2009-2011 under a performance share award. Organization and Executive Compensation Committee certification of the award payout level occurred on the transaction date.
(2)	Shares were held in the reporting person's account under Northwest Natural Gas Company's Retirement K Savings Plan as of January 31, 2012.
(3)	Credited to reporting person's account under issuer's Deferred Compensation Plan for Directors and Executives.
(4)	Option was granted for 2,500 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 2,000 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 2,000 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 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 February 25, 2010 and January 1, 2011, 2012 and 2013.
(8)	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 February 24, 2011 and January 1, 2012, 2013 and 2014.
(9)	Option was granted for 3,500 shares pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). The option vests in installments of 875 shares on each February 23, 2012 and January 1, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

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