Conserving mixed refrigerant in natural gas liquefaction facilities

A method of operating, during an at least partial shutdown of a refrigerant distribution subsystem in a natural gas liquefaction facility, comprising:

• draining down at least a portion of a mixed refrigerant in one or more components of the refrigerant distribution subsystem into a high-pressure holding tank of a drain down subsystem, wherein draining down to the high-pressure holding tank is achieved by pumping the mixed refrigerant from the refrigerant distribution subsystem to the high-pressure holding tank or backfilling the refrigerant distribution subsystem with a backfill gas;
• and
• transferring at least a portion of the mixed refrigerant into a low-pressure drum from the high-pressure holding tank, wherein the low-pressure refrigerant holding drum has a vent coupled to a condenser.