A method for producing a nitrogen-depleted LNG product, the method comprising: (a) passing a natural gas feed stream through a main heat exchanger (102, 106, 110) to cool the natural gas feed stream and liquefy all or a portion of said stream, thereby producing a first LNG stream; (b) withdrawing the first LNG stream from the main heat exchanger (102, 106, 110); (c)(i) expanding, partially vaporizing and separating the first LNG stream to form a nitrogen-depleted LNG stream and a stripping gas stream composed of nitrogen-enriched natural gas vapor; (c)(ii) expanding, partially vaporizing and separating the nitrogen-depleted LNG stream to form a nitrogen-depleted LNG product and a recycle stream composed of nitrogen-enriched natural gas vapor (192, 130); (d) compressing the recycle stream to form a compressed recycle stream (134, 138); (e) passing the compressed recycle stream through the main heat exchanger (102, 106, 110), separately from and in parallel with the natural gas feed stream, to cool the compressed recycle stream and at least partially liquefy all or a portion thereof, thereby producing a first at least partially liquefied nitrogen-enriched natural gas stream; (f) withdrawing the first at least partially liquefied nitrogen-enriched natural gas stream from the main heat exchanger (102, 106, 110); and (g) expanding and partially vaporizing the first at least partially liquefied nitrogen-enriched natural gas stream and introducing said stream (148, 160, 180) into a distillation column to separate the stream into vapor and liquid phases, introducing the stripping gas stream (120, 123) into the bottom of the distillation column, and forming a nitrogen-rich vapor product (164, 170) from overhead vapor withdrawn from the distillation column. (a) passing a natural gas feed stream through a main heat exchanger (102, 106, 110) to cool the natural gas feed stream and liquefy all or a portion of said stream, thereby producing a first LNG stream; (b) withdrawing the first LNG stream from the main heat exchanger (102, 106, 110); (c)(i) expanding, partially vaporizing and separating the first LNG stream to form a nitrogen-depleted LNG stream and a stripping gas stream composed of nitrogen-enriched natural gas vapor; (c)(ii) expanding, partially vaporizing and separating the nitrogen-depleted LNG stream to form a nitrogen-depleted LNG product and a recycle stream composed of nitrogen-enriched natural gas vapor (192, 130); (d) compressing the recycle stream to form a compressed recycle stream (134, 138); (e) passing the compressed recycle stream through the main heat exchanger (102, 106, 110), separately from and in parallel with the natural gas feed stream, to cool the compressed recycle stream and at least partially liquefy all or a portion thereof, thereby producing a first at least partially liquefied nitrogen-enriched natural gas stream; (f) withdrawing the first at least partially liquefied nitrogen-enriched natural gas stream from the main heat exchanger (102, 106, 110); and (g) expanding and partially vaporizing the first at least partially liquefied nitrogen-enriched natural gas stream and introducing said stream (148, 160, 180) into a distillation column to separate the stream into vapor and liquid phases, introducing the stripping gas stream (120, 123) into the bottom of the distillation column, and forming a nitrogen-rich vapor product (164, 170) from overhead vapor withdrawn from the distillation column.