Shale　gas　produced　water　(SGPW)　contains　complex　pollutants　that　pose　environmental　risks,　while　membrane　distillation　(MD)　is　a　promising　technology　for　desalinating　SGPW.　However,　the　transport　of　small　volatile　molecules　(ammonia)　in　SGPW,　across　the　membrane　with　water　vapor　accelerates　membrane　fouling　and　deteriorates　permeate　quality.　In　this　study,　a　modified　zeolite-MD　combined　process　was　proposed　for　treating　high　salinity　SGPW.　Zeolite　modified　with　NaOH+NaCl　was　selected　and　the　surface　area　and　pore　size　of　modified　zeolite　was　increased　by　8　%　and　by　44　%,　respectively　significantly　improving　ammonia　removal.　The　zeolite　adsorption　effluent　was　filtered　and　flowed　to　MD　unit　for　further　purification.　The　modified　zeolite　at　66　g/L　increased　the　MD　flux　by　68　%　and　reduced　the　permeate　conductivity　by　32　%　than　that　without　adsorption,　outperforming　the　raw　zeolite　which　improved　flux　by　26　%　and　decreased　conductivity　by　28　%.　The　deposited　foulants　on　MD　membrane　surface　using　modified　zeolite　were　reduced　by　95　%　compared　to　the　raw　SGPW　and　28　%　compared　to　the　raw　zeolite.　The　adsorption　of　modified　zeolite　significantly　extended　the　service　life　and　reusability　of　the　MD　membranes.　Therefore,　the　proposed　modified　zeolite　adsorption　and　MD　hybrid　process　is　a　cost-effective　method　for　treating　SGPW.