Mixed Refrigerant Compression Circuit

A method for cooling, preferably liquefying, a hydrocarbon stream, wherein the hydrocarbon stream to be cooled by indirect heat exchange with an evaporating refrigerant, and the evaporated refrigerant is cooled using a refrigerant circuit, the method comprising:

• compressing a mixed refrigerant gas from a first pressure to a second pressure in a first compression stage, the first compression stage comprising at least a first compressor body and a second parallel compressor body, each compressor body including a suction inlet and an outlet;
• splitting the mass flow of refrigerant gas to the first stage of compression across the at least two parallel compressor bodies, such that a first stream of refrigerant gas is fed to the suction inlet of the first compressor body and a second stream of refrigerant gas is fed to the suction inlet of the second compressor body;
• compressing the mixed refrigerant gas from the second pressure to a third pressure in a second compression stage, the second compression stage comprising a single compressor body;
• and
• recombining the first stream of refrigerant gas with the second stream of refrigerant gas to form a combined stream downstream of the first compression stage for delivery to the single compressor body of the second compression stage.