A process for liquefying a gas stream, said process comprising: (a) providing said gas stream at a pressure of from 600 - 1,000 psia (4137-6895 kPa) as a feed gas stream; (b) providing a refrigerant at a pressure of less than 1,000 psia (6895 kPa) by withdrawing a portion of said gas stream at a pressure of less than 1,000 psia (6895 kPa) for use as said refrigerant; (c) compressing said refrigerant to a pressure greater than or equal to 1,500 to 5,000 psia (10342 kPa to 34474 kPa) to produce a compressed refrigerant; (d) cooling said compressed refrigerant by indirect heat exchange with a cooling fluid; (e) expanding the compressed refrigerant of (d) to further cool said compressed refrigerant, to produce an expanded, cooled refrigerant at a pressure of from greater than or equal to 100 psia (689 kPa) to less than or equal to 1,000 psia (6895 kPa); (f) passing said expanded, cooled refrigerant to a first heat exchange area; (g) compressing the feed gas stream of (a) to a pressure of from greater than or equal to 2,500 psia (17237 kPa) to less than or equal to 3,500 psia (24132 kPa) to produce a compressed feed gas stream; (h) cooling said compressed feed gas stream by indirect heat exchange with an external cooling fluid; and (i) passing the compressed feed gas stream of (h) through the first heat exchange area to cool at least a part thereof by indirect heat exchange with the expanded, cooled refrigerant, to produce a compressed, further cooled feed gas stream; (j) passing the compressed, further cooled feed gas stream of (i) through a second heat exchange area for extra cooling; (k) expanding said compressed, further cooled feed gas stream of (j) to reduce the pressure of said feed gas stream to a pressure of from greater than or equal to 50 psia (345 kPa) to less than or equal to 450 psia (3103 kPa) to produce an expanded, cooled gas stream; (l) withdrawing a portion not to exceed 50% of said expanded, cooled gas stream of (k) and reducing its pressure in a reduction valve to a range of 30 - 200 psia (207 - 1379 kPa) to produce a reduced pressure gas stream and passing the reduced pressure gas stream through the second heat exchange area of (j) as a cooling gas stream; (m) expanding another portion of said expanded, cooled gas stream of (k); and (n) passing the expanded, cooled gas stream of (m) to a separation tank from which liquid natural gas is withdrawn and remaining gaseous vapors are withdrawn as flash gas. (a) providing said gas stream at a pressure of from 600 - 1,000 psia (4137-6895 kPa) as a feed gas stream; (b) providing a refrigerant at a pressure of less than 1,000 psia (6895 kPa) by withdrawing a portion of said gas stream at a pressure of less than 1,000 psia (6895 kPa) for use as said refrigerant; (c) compressing said refrigerant to a pressure greater than or equal to 1,500 to 5,000 psia (10342 kPa to 34474 kPa) to produce a compressed refrigerant; (d) cooling said compressed refrigerant by indirect heat exchange with a cooling fluid; (e) expanding the compressed refrigerant of (d) to further cool said compressed refrigerant, to produce an expanded, cooled refrigerant at a pressure of from greater than or equal to 100 psia (689 kPa) to less than or equal to 1,000 psia (6895 kPa); (f) passing said expanded, cooled refrigerant to a first heat exchange area; (g) compressing the feed gas stream of (a) to a pressure of from greater than or equal to 2,500 psia (17237 kPa) to less than or equal to 3,500 psia (24132 kPa) to produce a compressed feed gas stream; (h) cooling said compressed feed gas stream by indirect heat exchange with an external cooling fluid; and (i) passing the compressed feed gas stream of (h) through the first heat exchange area to cool at least a part thereof by indirect heat exchange with the expanded, cooled refrigerant, to produce a compressed, further cooled feed gas stream; (j) passing the compressed, further cooled feed gas stream of (i) through a second heat exchange area for extra cooling; (k) expanding said compressed, further cooled feed gas stream of (j) to reduce the pressure of said feed gas stream to a pressure of from greater than or equal to 50 psia (345 kPa) to less than or equal to 450 psia (3103 kPa) to produce an expanded, cooled gas stream; (l) withdrawing a portion not to exceed 50% of said expanded, cooled gas stream of (k) and reducing its pressure in a reduction valve to a range of 30 - 200 psia (207 - 1379 kPa) to produce a reduced pressure gas stream and passing the reduced pressure gas stream through the second heat exchange area of (j) as a cooling gas stream; (m) expanding another portion of said expanded, cooled gas stream of (k); and (n) passing the expanded, cooled gas stream of (m) to a separation tank from which liquid natural gas is withdrawn and remaining gaseous vapors are withdrawn as flash gas.