SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 

                            Washington, D. C. 20549 

                                   FORM 8-K 



                                CURRENT REPORT 


                    Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the 
                        Securities Exchange Act of 1934 



                               November 6, 1995 
               ------------------------------------------------ 
               Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) 


                         NORTHWEST NATURAL GAS COMPANY 
            ------------------------------------------------------ 
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) 



         Oregon                   0-994                93-0256722 
     --------------            -----------         ------------------ 
        (State of              (Commission            (IRS Employer 
     incorporation)           File Number)         Identification No.) 


                 220 NW Second Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97209 
                 -------------------------------------------- 
                   (Address of principal executive offices) 


                                (503) 226-4211 
              -------------------------------------------------- 
              Registrant's telephone number, including area code 

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Item 5.     Other Events 
- -------     ------------ 

The following press release was issued by Northwest Natural Gas Company on
November 6, 1995:

PORTLAND, ORE. -- The Board of Directors of Northwest Natural Gas Company
(Nasdaq National Market: NWNG) announced today that it has selected Richard
G. Reiten to become President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the
company on March 1, 1996, reporting directly to Robert L. Ridgley, its
Chief Executive Officer. Reiten will succeed Ridgley as Chief Executive
Officer on January 1, 1997.

Reiten is currently President of Portland General Electric (PGE), the
electric utility subsidiary of Portland General Corporation. Reiten will
retire from PGE on December 31,1995 and on March 1, 1996, he will join
Northwest Natural Gas as President and COO. At that time Ridgley will
become Chairman of the Board and continue to serve as CEO until December
31, 1996. Ridgley will continue as Chairman of the Board after his
retirement early in 1997.

Tod Hamachek, Chairman of the Committee that recruited Reiten said, "We
feel extremely fortunate that we have been able to attract a utility
executive of Dick Reiten's caliber to lead this company into the 21st
century. He is not just an outstanding executive, he is a community leader
who, like Bob Ridgley, has devoted himself throughout the years to serving
the City and state."

Reiten, 56, currently serves as President of PGE under Ken Harrison,
Portland General Corporation's CEO. "I'm going to miss PGE," Reiten said.
"From Ken Harrison down, it is an organization of great people whose talent
and hard work have created one of the electric industry's premier
companies. I know the years ahead will bring them tremendous success."

In explaining his decision to accept the position with Northwest Natural,
Reiten said, "The chance to serve as CEO and President of Northwest
Natural, one of the gas industry's top companies, is a challenge I simply
could not pass up. It keeps me in the energy industry; it keeps me in the
state I love; and it provides me the opportunity to shape the vision and
strategic direction of one of the region's most important companies.

"Ridgley said that he was delighted with the selection of Reiten as his
successor. "I have worked with Dick for many years in business and civic
activities and I know he brings the high
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values and business vision that will make him a great 'hands on' leader of
the employee team at Northwest Natural.

"Reiten was named President of Portland General Corporation in December of
1988. In 1992, he became President and Chief Operating Officer of Portland
General Electric. From 1983 to 1987, he was a member of Portland General
Electric's Board of Directors. During 1987 and 1988, Reiten served as
Director of the Oregon Economic Development Department under Governor Neil
Goldschmidt. He rejoined the PGE Board in 1988.

Reiten also spent more than 20 years in the wood products industry. From
1980 until early 1987, he was President, Chief Executive Officer and
Director of Nicolai Company, a Portland- based manufacturer of veneer and
residential doors.

Reiten is currently the Chair of the Portland Chamber of Commerce and is
Past Chairman of the Association for Portland Progress. He also serves on
the Boards of West One Bank of Oregon and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of
Oregon.

Northwest Natural Gas Company is the largest natural gas distribution
company in Oregon, serving 400,000 customers in northwest Oregon and
southwest Washington. The company's service territory includes the
Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area, the Willamette Valley, the northern
Oregon Coast and the Columbia River Gorge.

                                   SIGNATURE 

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                              NORTHWEST NATURAL GAS COMPANY 
                              ----------------------------- 
                                       Registrant 


                                    BRUCE R. DEBOLT 
                              By    ------------------------- 
                                    Bruce R. DeBolt 
                                    Senior Vice President and 
                                      Chief Financial Officer 
Date:  November 6, 1995