chinas demand for oil is growing at a fasterthanexpected pace threatening to tighten crude markets and send oil prices higher as supply struggles to keep up the international energy agency said the parisbased agencys latest outlook points to a widening divide between booming demand for crude across the developing world and lackluster demand in europe and north america where economic prospects look bleak it also highlights a growing disconnect between oil priceswhich have tumbled to their lowest levels in around 16 months in recent weeksand expectations that strong demand and limited supplies will prompt a sharp deficit that many analysts expect to lift oil prices in its closely watched monthly oil market report the iea raised its forecast for global oil demand growth this year by 200000 barrels a day to 22 million barrels a day it said total demand would stand at 102 million barrels a day 100000 barrels a day more than it forecast last month chinas share of that increase already expected to be large appeared to be growing and continues to surpass expectations the iea said the nations crude demand hit a record of 16 million barrels a day in march while china will account for 60 of all oil demand growth this year the iea said write to will horner at williamhornerwsjcom