The methods of the present invention include processing waste water containing 0.15% by weight of the salts of Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cl, SO.sub.4, and CO.sub.3 and mixtures thereof to produce products useful for enhancing oil or gas well production, and particularly for oil drilling applications including as additives for drilling muds and cement well casings, as well as for injection into an oil well oil or gas well formation.