A process for separating a gas stream containing methane, C2 and C3 components and heavier hydrocarbons into a volatile gas fraction containing substantially all of the methane and C2 components and a less volatile fraction containing a large portion of C3 components and heavier hydrocarbons, the process comprising the steps of: a. supplying and cooling a feed gas stream in an inlet exchanger to partially condense at least a portion of the gas stream and separating the partially condensed feed to produce a first vapour stream and at least first liquid stream; b. preheating at least a portion of the first liquid stream in the inlet exchanger and then sending the portion of the first liquid stream to a distillation tower, the distillation tower producing a tower overhead stream containing mainly methane and C2 components and a tower bottoms stream containing a majority of the C3 components and heavier hydrocarbons; c. cooling and partially condensing the tower overhead stream in a reflux exchanger and separating the partially condensed tower overhead stream in a second separator thereby producing a second vapour stream and a liquid hydrocarbon stream, the liquid hydrocarbon stream being sent to the distillation tower as a top feed stream; d. expanding the first vapour stream and sending the first vapour stream to an absorber column having at least one mass transfer zone as a bottom absorber feed stream thereby producing an absorber overhead stream containing essentially all methane, C2 and lighter components of the gas stream and an absorber bottoms stream; e. preheating at least a portion of the absorber bottoms stream in the inlet exchanger and sending the portion of the absorber bottoms stream into the distillation tower as a middle tower feed stream; f. cooling and condensing at least a portion of the second vapour stream in the reflux exchanger thereby forming a first lean reflux stream and sending the first lean reflux stream to the absorber as an absorber top feed stream; g. heating in the reflux exchanger and then in the inlet exchanger, and compressing the absorber overhead stream to form a residue gas stream; characterised by h. cooling in the inlet exchanger, and at least partially condensing in the reflux exchanger, a portion of the residue gas stream thereby producing a second lean reflux stream and then sending the second lean reflux stream to the absorber column. a. supplying and cooling a feed gas stream in an inlet exchanger to partially condense at least a portion of the gas stream and separating the partially condensed feed to produce a first vapour stream and at least first liquid stream; b. preheating at least a portion of the first liquid stream in the inlet exchanger and then sending the portion of the first liquid stream to a distillation tower, the distillation tower producing a tower overhead stream containing mainly methane and C2 components and a tower bottoms stream containing a majority of the C3 components and heavier hydrocarbons; c. cooling and partially condensing the tower overhead stream in a reflux exchanger and separating the partially condensed tower overhead stream in a second separator thereby producing a second vapour stream and a liquid hydrocarbon stream, the liquid hydrocarbon stream being sent to the distillation tower as a top feed stream; d. expanding the first vapour stream and sending the first vapour stream to an absorber column having at least one mass transfer zone as a bottom absorber feed stream thereby producing an absorber overhead stream containing essentially all methane, C2 and lighter components of the gas stream and an absorber bottoms stream; e. preheating at least a portion of the absorber bottoms stream in the inlet exchanger and sending the portion of the absorber bottoms stream into the distillation tower as a middle tower feed stream; f. cooling and condensing at least a portion of the second vapour stream in the reflux exchanger thereby forming a first lean reflux stream and sending the first lean reflux stream to the absorber as an absorber top feed stream; g. heating in the reflux exchanger and then in the inlet exchanger, and compressing the absorber overhead stream to form a residue gas stream; characterised by h. cooling in the inlet exchanger, and at least partially condensing in the reflux exchanger, a portion of the residue gas stream thereby producing a second lean reflux stream and then sending the second lean reflux stream to the absorber column.