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 * SMITH WAYNE T   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol PRAXAIR INC [PX] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O PRAXAIR, INC., 39 OLD RIDGEBURY ROAD 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 03/06/2013 (Street) DANBURY, CT 06810-5113 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 03/06/2013   M   265.986 (1) A (1) 14,245.3112 (2) D

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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

Deferred Stock Units

$ 0 (3)

03/06/2013

M

265.986 (1)

03/06/2013

03/06/2013

Common Stock

265.986

(1)

0

D

Deferred Stock Units

$ 0 (3)

(4)

(4)

Common Stock

25,104.81

25,104.81

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
SMITH WAYNE T C/O PRAXAIR, INC. 39 OLD RIDGEBURY ROAD DANBURY, CT 06810-5113	X

Signatures

Anthony M. Pepper, Attorney-in-Fact		03/06/2013
**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)	Settlement and payout of Deferred Stock Units ("DSUs") granted to non-management directors on February 26, 2008 , as part of the Director Compensation Program. Each DSU was the economic equivalent of one share of Praxair common stock. On March 6, 2013, the DSUs were settled for an equal number of shares of Praxair common stock.
(2)	This total includes shares previously acquired through automatic dividend reinvestment under the Praxair Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan, and shares of unvested restricted stock units.
(3)	Conversion to Praxair Common Stock is on a 1-for-1 basis.
(4)	Deferred stock units acquired by reporting person under the Praxair, Inc. Director's Fees Deferral Plan and are to be settled in Praxair Common Stock upon the reporting person's retirement or termination of service.

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