diff --git a/parm/ioda/bufr2ioda/bufr2ioda_insitu_profile_argo.yaml b/parm/ioda/bufr2ioda/bufr2ioda_insitu_profile_argo.yaml
index b5c6c23e..7dd28f21 100644
--- a/parm/ioda/bufr2ioda/bufr2ioda_insitu_profile_argo.yaml
+++ b/parm/ioda/bufr2ioda/bufr2ioda_insitu_profile_argo.yaml
@@ -8,3 +8,4 @@ dump_directory: '{{ DMPDIR }}'
 ioda_directory: '{{ COM_OBS }}'
 source: NCEP data tank
 subsets: SUBPFL
+ocean_basin: '{{ OCEAN_BASIN_FILE }}'
diff --git a/ush/soca/prep_ocean_obs.py b/ush/soca/prep_ocean_obs.py
index ace73155..467c5ced 100644
--- a/ush/soca/prep_ocean_obs.py
+++ b/ush/soca/prep_ocean_obs.py
@@ -154,23 +154,22 @@ def initialize(self):
                         # set up the config file for conversion to IODA for bufr and
                         # netcdf files respectively
                         if obsprep_space['type'] == 'bufr':
-                            gen_bufr_yaml_config = {'RUN': RUN,
+                            bufrconv_config = {'RUN': RUN,
                                                     'current_cycle': cdate,
                                                     'DMPDIR': COMIN_OBS,
                                                     'COM_OBS': COMIN_OBS,
                                                     'OCEAN_BASIN_FILE': OCEAN_BASIN_FILE}
-                            yaml_config_file = os.path.join(COMIN_OBS,
+                            bufrconv_yaml_file = os.path.join(COMIN_OBS,
                                                             f"{obtype}_{cdatestr}.yaml")
-                            obsprep_space['conversion config file'] = yaml_config_file
+                            obsprep_space['conversion config file'] = bufrconv_yaml_file
                             bufr2iodapy = BUFR2IODA_PY_DIR + '/bufr2ioda_' + obtype + '.py'
                             obsprep_space['bufr2ioda converter'] = bufr2iodapy
                             tmpl_filename = 'bufr2ioda_' + obtype + '.yaml'
-                            template = os.path.join(JSON_TMPL_DIR, tmpl_filename)
+                            bufrconv_template = os.path.join(JSON_TMPL_DIR, tmpl_filename)
                             
                             try:
-#                                gen_bufr_json(gen_bufr_json_config, template, yaml_config_file)
-                                myyaml = parse_j2yaml(template, gen_bufr_yaml_config, yaml_config_file)
-                                myyaml.save(yaml_config_file)
+                                bufrconv = parse_j2yaml(bufrconv_template, bufrconv_config)
+                                bufrconv.save(bufrconv_yaml_file)
                             except Exception as e:
                                 logger.warning(f"An exeception {e} occured while trying to run gen_bufr_json")
                                 logger.warning(f"obtype {obtype} will be skipped")
diff --git a/ush/soca/prep_ocean_obs_utils.py b/ush/soca/prep_ocean_obs_utils.py
index 5074954b..db4cc70f 100755
--- a/ush/soca/prep_ocean_obs_utils.py
+++ b/ush/soca/prep_ocean_obs_utils.py
@@ -68,11 +68,10 @@ def run_netcdf_to_ioda(obsspace_to_convert, OCNOBS2IODAEXEC):
 
 def run_bufr_to_ioda(obsspace_to_convert):
     logger.info(f"running run_bufr_to_ioda on {obsspace_to_convert['name']}")
-    json_output_file = obsspace_to_convert['conversion config file']
+    bufrconv_yaml = obsspace_to_convert['conversion config file']
     bufr2iodapy = obsspace_to_convert['bufr2ioda converter']
     try:
-#        subprocess.run(['python', bufr2iodapy, '-c', json_output_file, '-v'], check=True)
-        subprocess.run(['python', bufr2iodapy, '-c', json_output_file], check=True)
+        subprocess.run(['python', bufr2iodapy, '-c', bufrconv_yaml], check=True)
         logger.info(f"ran ioda converter on obs space {obsspace_to_convert['name']} successfully")
         return 0
     except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e: