Hi Lawrence,
actually, it looks like that patch has already been integrated into the petsc branch you recommend below. Building petsc and petsc4py works fine with that branch.
Which pyop2 branch do I want to use? Still local-par_loop? I guess I have to update ffc, ufl etc. at the moment I haven't got firedrake to work yet, it says the pyop2 and firedrake versions are not compatible.
Thanks,
Eike
PS: 
Are there actually any instructions on the web on obtaining and building coffee? I lost Fabio's email, I googled and figured it out myself now, but the repository is a bit hidden...--
Dr Eike Hermann Mueller
Research Associate (PostDoc)
Department of Mathematical Sciences
University of Bath
Bath BA2 7AY, United Kingdom