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 *
Saathoff MardiLyn
  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, CGO & Corporate Secretary
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
220 NW SECOND AVENUE
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
02/27/2013
(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 02/27/2013   A   291 (1) A $ 0 587.1189 D  
Common Stock 02/27/2013   A   73 (2) A $ 0 242.557 I See Footnote (3)
Common Stock 03/01/2013   A   212 (4) A $ 0 799.1189 D  
Common Stock               335.288 I See Footnote (5)

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 $ 51.09               (6) 09/29/2018 Common Stock 5,000   5,000 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 3,000   3,000 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
Saathoff MardiLyn
220 NW SECOND AVENUE
PORTLAND, OR 97209
      VP, CGO & Corporate Secretary  

Signatures

 Shawn M. Filippi, Attorney-in-Fact   03/01/2013
**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 2010-2012 under a performance share award. Organization and Executive Compensation Committee certification of the award payout level occurred on the transaction date.
(2) Shares are issuable as a result of satisfaction of performance goals for 2010-2012 under a performance share award, and credited to reporting person's account under the issuer's Deferred Compensation Plan for Directors and Executives pursuant to a prior election. Organization and Executive Compensation Committee certification of the award payout level occurred on the transaction date.
(3) Shares have been credited to reporting person's account under the issuer's Deferred Compensation Plan for Directors and Executives.
(4) Shares are issuable as a result of satisfaction of the performance threshold for 2012 under restricted stock unit awards. Organization and Executive Compensation Committee certification of the satisfaction of the performance threshold occurred on the transaction date.
(5) Shares held in reporting person's account under Northwest Natural Gas Company's Retirement K Savings Plan as of January 31, 2013.
(6) 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, 2012.
(7) 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, 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 of February 24, 2011 and January 1, 2012, 2013 and 2014.
(9) 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 of February 23, 2012 and January 1, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

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