NOVELTY - A gas stream containing methane, 2C and 3C components and heavier hydrocarbons is separated into a volatile gas fraction containing all of the methane and 2C components and a less volatile fraction containing a large portion of 3C components and heavier hydrocarbons, by cooling and at least partially condensing a portion of a residue gas stream to produce a second lean reflux stream and then sending the second stream to an absorber column.    USE - For separating a gas stream into a volatile gas fraction and a less volatile fraction, and for recovering ethane, propane and heavier compounds from the stream.    ADVANTAGE - The process increases the recovery of ethane, propane and heavier compounds from a hydrocarbon gas stream. It can be configured to recover ethane and heavier compounds or propane and heavier compounds, depending upon the market conditions. It is capable of recovering greater than 99% propane without an increase in compression power, when compared with comparable processes. It can be constructed so that there is a reduction in capital costs, e.g. by eliminating a reflux system.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Separation of a gas stream containing methane, 2C and 3C components and heavier hydrocarbons into a volatile gas fraction containing all of the methane and 2C components and a less volatile fraction containing a large portion of 3C components and heavier hydrocarbons, includes:    (a) supplying and cooling the gas stream to partially condense a portion of the gas stream to produce a first vapor stream (26) and at least a first liquid stream (22);    (b) preheating a portion of the first liquid stream and then sending the portion of the first liquid stream to a distillation tower (28), where the distillation tower produces a tower overhead stream (42) containing mainly methane and 2C components and a tower bottoms stream (54) containing a majority of the 2C components and heavier hydrocarbons;    (c) cooling and partially condensing the tower overhead stream to produce a second vapor stream and a liquid hydrocarbon stream, where the liquid hydrocarbon stream is sent to the distillation tower as a top feed;    (d) expanding the first vapor stream and sending it to an absorber column (32) having mass transfer zone as a bottom absorber feed stream, thus producing an absorber overhead stream (16) containing all of methane, 2C and lighter components of the gas stream and an absorber bottoms stream (18);    (e) preheating a portion of the absorber bottoms stream and sending the portion into the distillation tower as a middle tower feed stream (52);    (f) cooling and condensing a portion of the second vapor stream, thus forming a first lean reflux stream and sending this stream to the absorber as an absorber top feed stream;    (g) heating the absorber overhead stream, compressing, and discharging the absorber overhead stream as a residue gas stream (50); and    (h) cooling and at least partially condensing the portion of the residue gas stream to produce a second lean reflux stream (20) and then sending it to the absorber column.    An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is also included for an apparatus for separating a gas stream containing methane, 2C and 3C components and heavier hydrocarbons into a volatile gas fraction containing all of the methane and 2C components and a less volatile fraction containing a large portion of 3C components and heavier hydrocarbons, comprising:    (i) a first exchanger (14) for performing a process step from cooling a gas stream to partially condense a portion of the gas stream, preheating a portion of a first liquid stream, preheating a portion of an absorber bottoms stream, heating the absorber overhead stream, and/or cooling and at least partially condensing the portion of the residue gas stream to produce a second lean reflux stream;    (ii) a first separator (24) for separating the gas stream into a first vapor stream and at least the first liquid stream;    (iii) a distillation tower for receiving the portion of the first liquid stream as a lower tower feed stream and for receiving a portion of an absorber bottoms stream as a middle tower feed stream;    (iv) a second exchanger for performing a process step from cooling the tower overhead stream to produce a second vapor stream and a liquid hydrocarbon stream, cooling and condensing a portion of the second vapor stream to form a first lean reflux stream, heating the absorber overhead stream, cooling and at least partially condensing the portion of the residue gas stream to produce a second lean reflux stream;    (v) an expander for expanding the first vapor stream;    (vi) an absorber column having mass transfer zone(s) for receiving the first vapor stream as a bottom absorber feed stream, the first lean reflux stream as an absorber top feed stream, and the second lean reflux stream, where the absorber column produces an absorber overhead stream containing all of methane, 2C and lighter components of the gas stream and the absorber bottoms stream; and    (vii) a compressor for compressing the absorber overhead stream to produce a residue gas stream.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure is a simplified flow diagram of a C3+ compound recovery process that is configured for increased recovery of C3+ from an inlet gas stream through the use of an absorber second lean reflux stream.    First exchanger (14)    Absorber overhead stream (16)    Absorber bottoms stream (18)    Second lean reflux stream (20)    First liquid stream (22)    First separator (24)    First vapor stream (26)    Distillation tower (28)    Absorber column (32)    Tower overhead stream (42)    Second separator (45)    Residue gas stream (50)    Middle tower feed stream (52)    Tower bottoms stream (54)