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 *
KANTOR GREGG S
   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)
President & CEO
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
220 NW SECOND AVENUE		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
03/02/2009
(Street)

PORTLAND, OR 97209-3991		 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 03/02/2009   F   1,057 D $ 40.95 15,455.519 D  
Common Stock               2,706.2157 I See footnote (1)

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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 $ 26.3               (2) 03/05/2012 Common Stock 2,000   2,000 D  
Employee Stock Option to Buy $ 31.34               (3) 03/04/2014 Common Stock 6,000   6,000 D  
Employee Stock Option to Buy $ 34.29               (4) 02/29/2016 Common Stock 3,000   3,000 D  
Employee Stock Option to Buy $ 44.48               (5) 02/28/2017 Common Stock 7,000   7,000 D  
Employee Stock Option to Buy $ 43.29               (6) 03/06/2018 Common Stock 8,000   8,000 D  
Employee Stock Option to Buy $ 41.15               (7) 03/04/2019 Common Stock 25,000   25,000 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
KANTOR GREGG S
220 NW SECOND AVENUE
PORTLAND, OR 97209-3991		       President & CEO  

Signatures

 MardiLyn Saathoff, Attorney-in-Fact   03/04/2009
**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) Held in reporting person's account under issuer's Retirement K Savings Plan as of January 31, 2009.
(2) Option was granted for 5,000 shares pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). The option vests in installments of 1,700 shares on each February 27, 2003 and January 1, 2004 and 1,600 shares on January 1, 2005.
(3) Option was granted for 6,000 shares pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). The option vests in installments of 2,000 shares on each February 25, 2005 and January 1, 2006 and 2007.
(4) Option was granted for 3,000 shares pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). The option vests in installments of 750 shares on each February 22, 2007 and January 1, 2008, 2009, and 2010.
(5) Option was granted for 7,000 shares pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). The option vests in installments of 1,750 shares on each February 21, 2008 and January 1, 2009, 2010, and 2011.
(6) Option was granted for 8,000 shares pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). The option vests in installments of 2,000 shares on each February 27, 2009 and January 1, 2010, 2011, and 2012.
(7) Option was granted for 25,000 shares pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). The option vests in installments of 6,250 shares on each February 25, 2010 and January 1, 2011, 2012, and 2013.

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