A system and method for producing liquefied natural gas are provided. The method may include compressing a process stream containing natural gas in a compression assembly to produce a compressed process stream. The method may also include removing non-hydrocarbons from the compressed process stream in a separator, and cooling the compressed process stream with a cooling assembly to thereby produce a cooled, compressed process stream containing natural gas in a supercritical state. The method may further include expanding a first portion and a second portion of the natural gas from the cooled, compressed process stream in a first expansion element and a second expansion element to generate a first refrigeration stream and a second refrigeration stream, respectively. The method may further include cooling the natural gas in the cooled, compressed process stream to a supercritical state with the first and second refrigeration streams to thereby produce the liquefied natural gas.