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 *
  Yoshihara Grant M
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
01/01/2007		 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 903
D
 
Common Stock 158.2667
I
See Note (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) 03/03/2008 Common Stock 1,000 $ 27.875 D  
Employee Stock Option to Buy   (3) 03/02/2010 Common Stock 2,500 $ 20.25 D  
Employee Stock Option to Buy   (4) 03/05/2012 Common Stock 2,500 $ 26.3 D  
Employee Stock Option to Buy   (5) 03/04/2014 Common Stock 3,000 $ 31.34 D  
Employee Stock Option to Buy   (6) 02/29/2016 Common Stock 2,500 $ 34.29 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Yoshihara Grant M
220 NW SECOND AVENUE
PORTLAND, OR 97209		       Vice President  

Signatures

C.J. Rue, Attorney-in-Fact 01/04/2007
**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) Shares have been credited to reporting person's account under the issuer's Retirement K Savings Plan as of December 31, 2006.
(2) The option vested in three installments, 400 shares on February 25, 1999, 300 shares on January 1, 2000 and 300 shares on January 1, 2001.
(3) The option vested in three installments, 900 shares on February 23, 2001, 800 shares on January 1, 2002 and 800 shares on January 1, 2003.
(4) The option vested in three installments, 900 shares on February 27, 2003, 800 shares on January 1, 2004 and 800 shares on January 1, 2005.
(5) The option vested in three equal installments of 1,000 shares on February 25, 2005, January 1, 2006 and January 1, 2007.
(6) The option vests in four equal installments of 625 shares on February 22, 2007, January 1, 2008, January 1, 2009 and January 1, 2010.

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