Here are the 3 energy trade patterns in Asia-Pacific

Demand is outpacing global trade integration.

According to Standard & Poor's, the energy trade patterns in Asia-Pacific show three characteristics. First, demand from the region is outstripping its pace of trade integration into the global economy.

Second, China accounts for an increasingly bigger proportion of Asia-Pacific's energy trade deficit. Third, the growth in energy demand is benefitting countries in Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.

Here's more from Standard & Poor's:

China's fast economic growth, rapid urbanization and industrialization, and rising middle class have lifted the country's thirst for energy. Asia's biggest economy now has the largest oil trade deficit in the region--40% more than Japan's.

Besides sourcing from energy suppliers outside the region, China is using its rising wealth and strong external balance sheet to invest in energy production facilities outside Asia-Pacific, said Standard & Poor's in two separate commentaries, titled "China's Search For Energy Leads It Outside The Region" and "Asia's National Oil And Gas Companies Use Their Financial Heft To Support Increasing Investments." China has made increasing investments in Africa, Central Asia, the five largest Middle Eastern oil producers, and Qatar.

Asia's national oil companies generally do not have a funding constraint. Their financial positions are strong enough to allow them to continue making acquisitions and capital expenditures without hurting their credit profiles. Standard & Poor's expects capital expenditure of more than US$130 billion annually for the next two years and acquisitions of at least US$30 billion over the same period.

Another of China's strategies is shale gas, said Standard & Poor's in its fourth report titled, "China's Shale Gas Industry May Be Booming, But It Still Provides Just A Fraction Of Needed Energy." The state-run China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. (Sinopec) announced recently that its first commercial shale gas field--in rural Fuling--should reach production capacity of 1.8 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas in 2014.

"Sinopec forecasts 5bcm capacity next year, which is 10 times more than its previous forecast and quite significant considering China's total shale gas output was just 200 million cubic meters in 2013," said Standard & Poor's credit analyst Lawrence Lu. "Nevertheless, large increases in shale gas production will satisfy only a small share of China's overall energy needs, meaning the country's energy trading patterns likely won't change soon."