Method of liquefying a hydrocarbon stream from a feed stream including (a) passing the feed stream through a first cooling stage having at least two heat exchangers and against a component refrigerant in a first refrigerant circuit, to provide a cooled hydrocarbon stream; (b) passing the cooled hydrocarbon stream through a second cooling stage against a second refrigerant in a second refrigerant circuit, to provide a liquefied hydrocarbon stream; (c) passing the second refrigerant through one of the heat exchangers of the first cooling stage. The heat exchangers of the first cooling stage are shell and tube heat exchangers having two or more tube circuits. The first refrigerant circuit includes a refrigerant compressor and the second refrigerant circuit includes a refrigerant compressor. The refrigerant compressor of the first refrigerant circuit and the refrigerant compressor of the second refrigerant circuit are interconnected and are arranged to be driven by a common driver.