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 *   Russell Lori L 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year) 04/01/2016 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) VP 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 1,332.594 D   Common Stock 3,372.0092 I See Footnote (1) Common Stock 218.599 I See Footnote (2)

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	  (3)	02/28/2017	Common Stock	1,200	$ 44.48	D	Â
Employee Stock Option to Buy	  (3)	03/06/2018	Common Stock	2,000	$ 43.29	D	Â
Employee Stock Option to Buy	  (3)	03/04/2019	Common Stock	1,200	$ 41.15	D	Â
Employee Stock Option to Buy	  (3)	03/02/2020	Common Stock	1,500	$ 44.25	D	Â
Employee Stock Option to Buy	  (3)	03/02/2021	Common Stock	2,000	$ 45.74	D	Â

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Russell Lori L 220 NW SECOND AVENUE PORTLAND, OR 97209	Â	Â	  VP	Â

Signatures

Shawn M. Filippi, Attorney-in-Fact		04/08/2016
**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 held in reporting person's account under Northwest Natural Gas Company's Retirement K Savings Plan as of April 8, 2016.
(2)	Reflects shares that have been credited to reporting person's account under the issuer's Deferred Compensation Plan for Directors and Executives.
(3)	Option was granted pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan and is fully vested.

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