I believe i got around the problem by including the following lines in my Python script before running the depletion simulation:
geometry.determine_paths(instances_only = False)
model = openmc.model.Model(...)
model.differentiate_depletable_mats(diff_volume_method = 'divide equally')
This seems to differentiate the burnable materials in the model before we include that option in the openmc.deplete.CoupledOperator
, but i am not sure.