NOVELTY - The method involves passing a natural gas feed stream (100) through main heat exchanger to cool natural gas feed stream and liquefy all or portion of stream, such that first LNG stream (112) is produced. The first LNG stream is withdrawn from main heat exchanger. The recycle stream (192) is compressed to form compressed recycle stream. The first partially liquefied nitrogen-enriched natural gas stream (144) is withdrawn from main heat exchanger. The nitrogen-enriched natural gas stream (144) is expanded, partially vaporized and separated to form nitrogen-rich vapor product (164).    USE - Method for producing nitrogen-depleted LNG product by liquefying natural gas feed stream and removing nitrogen.    ADVANTAGE - The natural gas feed stream is pretreated prior to being introduced into the main heat exchanger, so as to remove water, acid gases, mercury and heavy hydrocarbons from the natural gas feed stream. Thus, concentrations of any components in the natural gas feed stream down to such levels as will not result in any freezing problems is reduced. The closed loop refrigeration system is used to provide refrigeration for the condenser heat exchanger to improve the overall efficiency of the process by minimizing the internal temperature differences in the condenser exchanger.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The first LNG stream or LNG stream formed from first LNG stream are expanded, and expanded stream is transferred into an LNG storage tank in which a portion of the LNG vaporizes, such that nitrogen-enriched natural gas vapor and the nitrogen-depleted LNG product are formed, and withdrawing nitrogen-enriched natural gas vapor from the tank to form the recycle stream. The first partially liquefied nitrogen-enriched natural gas stream is partially expanded and vaporized and separating the stream in a phase separator into vapor and liquid phases to form the nitrogen rich vapor product and a second LNG stream. The first LNG stream is expanded and partially vaporized to form the nitrogen-depleted LNG product and the recycle stream composed of nitrogen-enriched natural gas vapor. The second LNG stream is expanded, partially vaporized and separated to produce additional nitrogen-enriched natural gas vapor for the recycle stream and additional nitrogen-depleted LNG product. The first partially liquefied nitrogen-enriched natural gas stream is expanded and partially vaporized, introducing stream into a distillation column to separate the stream into vapor and liquid phases, and forming the nitrogen-rich vapor product from overhead vapor withdrawn from the distillation column. The stripping gas stream is introduced into the bottom of the distillation column. The first LNG stream is introduced into the distillation column at an intermediate location of the column, and boil-up for the distillation column is provided by heating and vaporizing a portion of the bottoms liquid in a re-boiler heat exchanger through indirect heat exchange with the first LNG stream prior to introduction of the first LNG stream into the distillation column. The compressed recycle stream is introduced into the main heat exchanger, cooling the compressed recycle stream, withdrawing a portion of the cooled compressed recycle stream from an intermediate location of the main heat exchanger to form a stripping gas stream, and further cooling and partially liquefying another portion of the cooled compressed recycle stream to form the first partially liquefied nitrogen-enriched natural gas stream. The reflux for the distillation column is provided by condensing a portion of the overhead vapor from the distillation column in a condenser heat exchanger. The refrigeration for the condenser heat exchanger is provided by warming overhead vapor withdrawn from the distillation column. The portion of the nitrogen-rich vapor product is recycled by adding portion to the recycle stream obtained prior to the compression of the recycle stream. The recycle stream is heated in an economizer heat exchanger prior to being compressed and compressed recycle stream is cooled in after cooler and further cooled in the economizer heat exchanger prior to being introduced into the main heat exchanger. An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for an apparatus for producing a nitrogen-depleted LNG product. The apparatus has a main heat exchanger having cooling passages for receiving a natural gas feed stream and passing stream through the heat exchanger to cool the stream and liquefy all or portion of the stream, so as to produce a first LNG stream, and for receiving a compressed recycle stream composed of nitrogen-enriched natural gas vapor and passing stream through the heat exchanger to cool and partially liquefy the stream, so as to produce first partially liquefied nitrogen-enriched natural gas stream. The cooling passages are arranged to pass the compressed recycle stream through the heat exchanger separately from and in parallel with the natural gas feed stream. A refrigeration system is set for supplying refrigerant to the main heat exchanger for cooling the cooling passages. A compressor is in fluid flow communication with the first separation system and main heat exchanger for receiving the recycle stream, and for compressing the recycle stream to form the compressed recycle stream, and returning the compressed recycle stream to the main heat exchanger. A second separation system is in fluid flow communication with the main heat exchanger, for receiving, expanding, partially vaporizing and separating the first partially liquefied nitrogen-enriched natural gas stream to form a nitrogen-rich vapor product. The closed loop refrigeration system has a first separation system that comprises an expansion device and an LNG tank, and the second separation system that comprises an expansion device and a phase separator or distillation column.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows a schematic flow diagram depicting the method and apparatus for liquefying and removing nitrogen from a natural gas stream to produce a nitrogen-depleted LNG product.    Natural gas feed stream (100)    First LNG stream (112)    First partially liquefied nitrogen-enriched natural gas stream (144)    Warmed nitrogen-rich product stream (166)    Recycle stream (192)