Abstract: By including a chemical additive in the well treatment fluid system design the cost and environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing may be substantially reduced. By adding a weak base to the well treatment fluid, water having a high, heterogeneous concentration of dissolved solids, such as water produced by oil and gas wells, may be utilized as the base fluid for hydraulic fracturing or other stimulation processes without adversely affecting the various components of the well treatment fluid. The well treatment fluid typically includes a base fluid, in this case produced water, a gelling agent, a weak base, and other additives useful for treating a well such as friction reducers, buffering agents, clay control agents, biocides, scale inhibitors, chelating agents, gel-breakers, oxygen scavengers, antifoamers, crosslinkers, wax inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, de-emulsifiers, foaming agents, or tracers.