TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - CHEMICAL ENGINEERING - Preferred Process: The gaseous feed cooled before fractionation (I) to produce a partially condensed fluid feed, is subjected to phase separation. The separated vapor and/or liquid phase is subjected to an operation such that a two phase feed is obtained which is fed directly to fractionation (II). The vapor stream from fractionation (I) (resulting from phase separation) is compressed and cooled to provide a residual gas product. A portion of the liquid separated from the partial condensation step is rewarmed in the heat exchanger. The distillate from fractionation (II) is cooled to form a partially condensed stream, which is separated into liquid and vapor stream, dividing the resulting liquid stream into two portions which are used as reflux streams for fractionations (I,II). Stream (I) is compressed and cooled before entering fractionation (I) and portion (II) is compressed before entering fractionation (II) as reflux stream. The vapor stream is rewarmed and compressed to produce the residual gas product. The portion (I) of liquid stream is the sole reflux stream for fractionation (I) and portion (II) of liquid stream for fractionation (II). The reflux to fractionator (I) does not include liquid streams derived directly from vapor stream. EXAMPLE - A feed gas comprising 1 molar vapor fraction and (in kgmole/h) nitrogen (90), carbondioxide (300), methane (12293), ethane (1350), propane (600), isobutane (75), n-butane (150), isopentane and n-pentane (45), n-hexane (30), n-heptane (15) and n-octane (7) was maintained at 30degreesC, 7000 kPa, and had a mass flow 304494 kg/h. The feed gas was partially condensed in heat exchange system and a two phase stream was passed to vapor/liquid separator. The streams were further combined and fed to a high pressure wash column, streams were separated, recombined to deethanizer column. The liquid was fed to a reboiler and the liquid product containing heavy components was removed. 96.9% of propane and 100% of butane was recovered.