NOVELTY - Production of liquefied natural gas involves directing a feed stream comprising natural gas to a cooling stage which includes cooling the feed stream in at least one cooling step producing a cooled feed stream, at least a portion of which is derived from a portion of a refrigerated vapor component produced in at least one cooling stage.    USE - The process is used for the production of LNG for use as fuel source for internal process consumption.    ADVANTAGE - The inventive process does not require the use of external refrigerants during the manufacture, storage, or transportation of LNG; and the use of linked multiple expansion and separation steps. It is of simple and compact design, thus facilitating the implementation of the process at locations where plot space is at a premium or unavailable. It produces fuel gas, while maintaining a high rate of LNG production and efficient power consumption for the process. It obtains a high quality LNG product having low concentrations of inert components, e.g. nitrogen, and the ability to remove natural gas liquid components, e.g. ethane, propane, butanes, pentanes and heavier components, and benzene from the feed.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) involves directing a feed stream comprising natural gas to a cooling stage which includes cooling the feed stream in at least one cooling step producing a cooled feed stream, expanding the cooled feed stream in at least one expansion step by reducing the pressure of the cooled feed stream producing a refrigerated vapor component and a liquid component, and separating at least a portion of the refrigerated vapor component from the liquid component; repeating these steps at least once until at least a portion of the feed stream in the first cooling stage is processed into LNG. The feed stream comprises at least a portion of the liquid component from the separating step of a previous cooling stage. At least a portion of the step of cooling the feed stream in at least one cooling stage is derived from at least a portion of the refrigerated vapor component produced in at least one cooling stage.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a process comprising three cooling stages.    Compressed vapor component (20)