Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF 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. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
02/26/2009		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
NORTHWEST NATURAL GAS CO [NWN]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
220 NW SECOND AVENUE		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Vice President
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

PORTLAND, OR 97209		 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 Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 93.989
D
 
Common Stock 233.7096
I
See Footnote (1)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option to Buy   (2) 02/29/2016 Common Stock 2,500 $ 34.29 D  
Employee Stock Option to Buy   (3) 02/28/2017 Common Stock 1,500 $ 44.48 D  
Employee Stock Option to Buy   (4) 03/06/2018 Common Stock 1,500 $ 43.29 D  
Employee Stock Option to Buy   (5) 03/04/2019 Common Stock 2,000 $ 41.15 D  

Reporting Owners

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

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 5(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 2,500 shares pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). The option vests in installments of 625 shares on each February 22, 2007 and January 1, 2008, 2009 and 2010.
(3) Option was granted for 1,500 shares pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). The option vests in installments of 375 shares on each February 21, 2008 and January 1, 2009, 2010 and 2011.
(4) Option was granted for 1,500 shares pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). The option vests in installments of 375 shares on each February 27, 2009 and January 1, 2010, 2011 and 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 February 25, 2010 and January 1, 2011, 2012 and 2013.

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