You are correct that this information is available on the manufacturer's data sheets supplied with the bid. However, I frankly get tired of calling the manufacturer and asking him what the site rating is BEFORE we go out for bids.
Typically we do the gas hydraulic studies which gives the HP requirements at each station. Then there is some adjustments based on a preliminary unit selection. We then move to a cost estimate and feasibility study which includes operating and fuel gas cost over a specified period of time.
It is not economic to make a preliminary unit selection that leaves HP on the table because of the pipeline MAOP limitations. So the HP often gets pushed downstream.
If the economics show there is a project we then move to the FERC permit stage which requires that we determine the amount of air emissions, etc. which is also based on the unit selected.
Does the bid process mean we end up with another manufactuere than the preliminary selection? Sure but some gas transmission companies are locked into a price agreement with a particular CA company and do not want to use any other source.
The point is that I want to determine my own destiny and be able to get the information when I need it and not hear that the manufacturer's rep is out of town or on vacation so I have to wait to get the information.
So if I can get the correlations to derate the HP for altitude, ambient temperture and duct loses to some reasonable level of accuracy then I can be in control of my own schedule.
I think that what you are telling me gtsim is that I could determine the mass rate of flow at the site conditions and then divide by the mass rate of flow at ISO conditions and get the impact of altitude and ambient temperature. But then what about the duct loses?