A method of operating a compressor, for the reduction of relief load during a blocked outlet event, comprising at least the steps of: (a) passing more than one compressor feed streams (10, 20, 30, 40) to one or more inlets (18, 28, 38, 48) of a first compressor, each compressor feed stream (10, 20, 30, 40) passing through a compressor feed valve (12, 22, 32, 42), wherein there are n compressor feed streams passing through n compressor feed valves, in which n is an integer greater than or equal to 2; (b) compressing then compressor feed streams (10, 20, 30, 40) in the first compressor to provide a compressed discharge stream at the outlet of the first compressor; (c) using a first monitoring device for monitoring for a first indicator of a blocked outlet event of the first compressor; and (f) providing a pressure relief valve in fluid communication with the compressed discharge stream, said pressure relief valve set to open at a first set pressure, which is reached after the first indicator of the blocked outlet event of the first compressor, wherein said pressure relief valve is connected to a flare system; characterized in that the method further comprises: (d) instructing the closure of the compressor feed valves (12, 22, 32, 42) upon detection of the first indicator of the first compressor blocked outlet event; and (e) providing a first safety criterion in which m of the compressor feed valves fail to close in step (d); wherein one or both of said pressure relief valve and said flare system is sized to accommodate at least the relief flow generated by the first safety criterion in which m of the compressor feed valves (12, 22, 32, 42) fail to close in step (d), wherein m is an integer in the range of from 1 to (n-1), and wherein m<n and the one or both of the pressure relief valve and flare system is sized to accommodate less than the flow generated from the compression of all of the n compressor feed streams in the first compressor. (a) passing more than one compressor feed streams (10, 20, 30, 40) to one or more inlets (18, 28, 38, 48) of a first compressor, each compressor feed stream (10, 20, 30, 40) passing through a compressor feed valve (12, 22, 32, 42), wherein there are n compressor feed streams passing through n compressor feed valves, in which n is an integer greater than or equal to 2; (b) compressing then compressor feed streams (10, 20, 30, 40) in the first compressor to provide a compressed discharge stream at the outlet of the first compressor; (c) using a first monitoring device for monitoring for a first indicator of a blocked outlet event of the first compressor; and (f) providing a pressure relief valve in fluid communication with the compressed discharge stream, said pressure relief valve set to open at a first set pressure, which is reached after the first indicator of the blocked outlet event of the first compressor, wherein said pressure relief valve is connected to a flare system; (d) instructing the closure of the compressor feed valves (12, 22, 32, 42) upon detection of the first indicator of the first compressor blocked outlet event; and (e) providing a first safety criterion in which m of the compressor feed valves fail to close in step (d); wherein one or both of said pressure relief valve and said flare system is sized to accommodate at least the relief flow generated by the first safety criterion in which m of the compressor feed valves (12, 22, 32, 42) fail to close in step (d), wherein m is an integer in the range of from 1 to (n-1), and wherein m<n and the one or both of the pressure relief valve and flare system is sized to accommodate less than the flow generated from the compression of all of the n compressor feed streams in the first compressor.